What happened
During a scheduled charter flight traveling from Oranjestad to Punto Fijo, a twin engine aircraft experienced a critical mechanical failure. While the flight was in its descent phase toward Punto Fijo-Josefa Camejo Airport, the pilot notified air traffic control that the left engine had failed.
Shortly after this notification, the left engine ignited, resulting in an onboard fire. The intensity of the event caused the engine to detach from the airframe, which subsequently tore away a portion of the left wing. Following the loss of structural integrity and control, the aircraft impacted the ocean surface approximately 29.5 km north of the destination airport. There were eight fatalities among the occupants, which included the pilot and seven passengers.
Findings
- The failure of the left engine preceded the fire.
- The detachment of the engine led to significant structural damage to the left wing.