What happened
During a nighttime cargo operation, an aircraft departed from Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport, beginning a flight destined for Miami with a scheduled stop in Barranquilla. Approximately seven minutes into the climb, the four-engine airplane made contact with a pine tree measuring 15 meters in height using its right wing. This impact caused the aircraft to lose stability and veer off course.
The plane subsequently crashed onto the slope of Mt Piedras Blancas, an elevation of 1,200 meters, situated roughly 11 km north of the departure airfield. The impact with the terrain resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. There were five fatalities among the occupants, as all five people on board perished in the accident.
Findings
- The flight was in the initial climb phase following takeoff.
- Impact with vegetation caused the loss of control.