What happened
A scheduled flight departing from San José Airport for Puerto Jiménez, which included a planned stop in Quepos, ended in a fatal accident. The aircraft, a single-engine airplane, was transporting two crew members and six passengers of American, German, and Dutch nationality.
While the flight was performing a descent through cloud cover toward Quepos Airport, the aircraft struck trees on a mountain slope. The impact occurred approximately 13 km from the destination airport. The crash resulted in three fatalities, including both pilots and one passenger, while the remaining five passengers sustained serious injuries. The wreckage of the aircraft was completely destroyed upon impact.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in cloudy conditions during the descent phase.
- The collision with terrain was preceded by the aircraft striking trees on a forested slope.