What happened
While stationary at Bellavista-Huallaga Airport, the crew of the aircraft was approached by seven members of the local police force. The officers attempted to intercept the plane under the suspicion that it was involved in narcotics trafficking. During the ensuing confrontation, the flight crew disregarded the instructions provided by the officers and proceeded with an unauthorized takeoff.
As the aircraft type climbed to an altitude of approximately 20 meters following rotation, several police officers opened fire on the plane. The impact of the bullets caused the pilot to lose control of the vessel, leading to a crash near the edge of the runway. The incident resulted in 15 fatalities among the occupants. Reports indicate that the captain died at the scene, while the co-pilot succumbed to injuries one hour later after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
Findings
Investigations into the event concluded that the primary factor leading to the crash was the fire from local police officers. It was determined that the officers involved in the shooting were intoxicated at the time of the encounter and had initiated the confrontation based on their suspicions regarding illegal cargo.