What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2015-11-17 involved a 402B, registration HK4981, at Acandí, CO.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by inadequate flight planning, resulting in the pilot attempting to operate the aircraft outside of the manufacturer's established weight and balance limits, which prevented the aircraft from achieving a safe climb velocity.

Overweight Cessna 402B Crashes into Building in Acandí

A Cessna 402B operating a private flight crashed into a structure in Colombia after departing with weight and balance exceeding manufacturer limits.

What happened

On November 17, 2015, a Cessna 402B, registration HK4981G, departed from the Alcides Fernández Aerodrome in Acandí, Chocó, for a private flight to Medellín. The aircraft was carrying ten people, including the pilot and a group of athletes.

Shortly after takeoff from runway 35, the aircraft maintained a flat trajectory with a slight left drift and a shallow descent angle. Despite an upward pitch attitude, the aircraft was unable to maintain sufficient airspeed. Approximately 700 meters from the runway, the aircraft impacted a single-story building used as a church within the urban perimeter of Acandí. The collision caused the roof to collapse and damaged an adjacent residence, though no injuries were reported to people on the ground. The impact resulted in two fatalities and left eight occupants with injuries ranging from serious to minor.

The investigation

The GRIAA investigation focused on the aircraft's performance and loading configuration. Investigators examined the wreckage, which showed significant structural damage, including a destroyed cockpit and a detached right engine. The investigation recovered nine bags from the nose compartment, weighing approximately 160 kilograms.

Analysis of the aircraft's weight and balance revealed that the takeoff gross weight was at least 6,643.64 pounds, exceeding the manufacturer's maximum allowable takeoff weight of 6,300 pounds. Furthermore, the longitudinal center of gravity (CG) was calculated at station 163.90 inches, which fell outside the permissible limits established in the flight manual. GPS data also indicated a lack of proper flight planning prior to departure.

Findings

The aircraft was operated with a gross weight exceeding the maximum allowable limit.
The center of gravity was positioned outside of the manufacturer's specified limits.
The aircraft was unable to reach the required climb velocity (V2) after leaving ground effect due to the excessive weight.
The pilot's attempt to manage the unstable flight condition led to an unrecoverable descent.
The aircraft was loaded with approximately 25% more payload capacity than intended.

Safety action

Private pilots should maintain high situational awareness during dispatch and verify that all weights are within performance limits.
Flight training schools should emphasize aerodynamics, specifically post-takeoff stalls, flight planning, and the interpretation of performance charts.
The Civil Aviation Authority should implement practical weight and balance exercises during private pilot check-rides.