What happened
On November 27, 2009, a Cessna 206 aircraft, registration HK-1506, was operating a non-scheduled commercial air taxi flight from Guerima to Villavicencio. Approximately fifteen minutes into the flight, the engine ceased functioning. The pilot attempted to restart the engine several times without success and informed the passengers that the aircraft would attempt to return to the Guerima aerodrome.
As the aircraft lost altitude, the pilot executed an emergency landing into the surrounding trees to mitigate the impact in the dense jungle terrain. During the landing, the aircraft struck the trees and drifted to the right, eventually impacting the ground. The pilot sustained fatal injuries due to the impact. The five passengers, including two children, sustained serious injuries but survived the crash. The passengers were able to evacuate the wreckage and were eventually rescued by Colombian Air Force personnel the following day.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation faced significant challenges due to the inability to inspect the wreckage immediately. The accident site, located in a remote jungle area near coordinates 03°39.3'N 70°24.8'W, was difficult to access, and the aircraft was not recovered. Furthermore, various components of the aircraft, including the engine and landing gear, were held by local prosecutors in different jurisdictions, which prevented a timely technical analysis of the engine's internal components.
Investigators later identified several recovered parts, including the nose gear, a main landing gear tire, a Mcauley propeller, and a Teledyne Continental engine. While the engine appeared externally normal without major visible damage, the lack of access to the engine's internal parts meant the specific mechanical failure could not be confirmed. The investigation also noted that the pilot's medical and flight credentials were valid and up to date at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an engine failure or malfunction in flight.
- The specific cause of the engine failure remained undetermined due to a lack of sufficient physical evidence and the inability to perform a detailed internal inspection of the engine.
- The pilot's decision to perform an emergency landing in the trees was an attempt to manage the loss of altitude in a forested environment.
- The aircraft was within weight and balance limits, and all maintenance requirements were up to date prior to the flight.