Incident Overview
Following takeoff from Panama City-Marcos A. Gelabert Airport Runway 36, the crew climbed to 6,000 feet as cleared. At that altitude, a loud noise emanated from the engine, which then stopped. The propeller was feathered, and the crew declared an emergency. The pilot reduced altitude and attempted an emergency landing on a road in Vacamonte. During the landing attempt, the airplane struck trees and came to rest on the shoulder of the road.
Occupants and Damage
All seven occupants, including pilot Luis Alberto Chavez Ortega and copilot Luis Suira Vega, escaped uninjured. The aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the accident was caused by the sudden stoppage of the engine due to the detachment of a blade from the compressor turbine disc, which broke several blades and internal parts of the engine. Contributing factors included the sudden engine stoppage, the lack of a nearby runway relative to the flight altitude, time lost in making the decision to land due to uncertainty regarding altitude loss and gliding capability, and obstacles in the chosen forced landing area (automobiles, a tractor, trees) as well as the narrow pavement needed for alignment and stopping on the two-lane road.