What happened
On May 8, 2014, a Douglas DC-3C, registration HK-4700, operated by Aerolíneas Andinas S.A., crashed into the mountainous terrain of the Serranía de los Picachos in the Meta Department, Colombia. The aircraft was performing a non-scheduled commercial flight from Villavicencio to Florencia.
The flight departed Vanguardia Airport at 16:15 UTC. During the flight, the crew reported their position near La Uribe at 16:44 UTC, but all radio contact was subsequently lost. After the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination and failed to respond to communications from other aircraft, search and rescue operations were initiated. At 21:45 UTC, the wreckage was located in the Los Picachos National Park. The impact occurred at 17:02 UTC under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and a post-crash fire, and there were five fatalities among the two crew members and three passengers.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation established that the aircraft was airworthy and the crew was fully qualified, with the pilot possessing extensive experience in the DC-3 type. The investigation focused on the flight's deviation from its planned route and the crew's decision-making process regarding weather and terrain.
Investigators examined the flight plan, which was filed for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at 6,500 feet. The investigation noted that the crew deviated from the planned trajectory to maintain VFR conditions, moving westward without verifying their position relative to VOR stations or checking minimum safe altitudes. Furthermore, the investigation found that the crew failed to utilize available navigational aids or seek updated weather information from air traffic services after losing visual contact with the terrain.
Findings
- The crew failed to properly evaluate hazards and risks during flight planning and execution.
- The crew deviated from the planned route to maintain VFR conditions without verifying minimum safe altitudes for the area.
- The flight was an untimely attempt to continue a VFR flight that resulted in unintended flight under IMC.
- A loss of situational awareness occurred as the crew continued the flight through adverse weather, leading to a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
- There was a failure to effectively communicate or request updated weather information after losing visual references.