What happened
A mission to locate hostages held by FARC rebels ended in a fatal accident when a Cessna 208 crashed in a mountainous region. The aircraft had originally departed from Bogotá and proceeded to Larandia AFB, where the crew performed a refueling stop. The flight was part of a joint anti-narcotics initiative involving the United States and Colombian governments.
At 1906 local time, the aircraft began a reconnaissance mission from Larandia AFB. The objective was to search for three American citizens who had been taken captive following the crash of another Cessna 208 operated by One Leasing in February. During the night flight, while cruising at an altitude of 4,500 feet, the aircraft encountered limited visibility. Approximately 14 minutes after takeoff, the plane struck a tree and crashed on the slope of Mt La Sonora, subsequently catching fire. The crash resulted in three fatalities, as the two pilots and one passenger were all killed in the impact.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in limited visibility during the night phase of flight.
- The collision with a tree occurred while the aircraft was at a cruising altitude of 4,500 feet.