What happened
On January 7, 2024, a Cessna 421C, registration HK4983, was conducting a non-scheduled medical evacuation flight from Alfonso López Airport (SKVP) in Valledupar to Guaymaral (SKGY). The aircraft was transporting a minor patient along with a crew consisting of a pilot, co-pilot, doctor, nurse, and an accompanying individual.
Shortly after departing Valledupar on runway 22, the crew experienced intense vibrations in the number two (right) engine. Following an audible explosion in the engine, the crew feathered the propeller and declared an intention to return to the departure airport. While the number one engine continued to operate within normal parameters, the aircraft was unable to maintain a safe approach path, losing both airspeed and altitude.
In an attempt to perform an emergency landing in an unprepared field, the aircraft struck a tree with its left horizontal stabilizer. The impact caused the stabilizer to detach, forcing the aircraft into an abrupt 90-degree right turn before it impacted the ground on the left side of the fuselage. A post-crash fire consumed approximately 80% of the aircraft. While five occupants successfully evacuated, the doctor was unable to be extracted due to being restrained in their seat and the rapid spread of fire and smoke.
The investigation
The GRIAA field investigation focused on the impact site and the wreckage distribution. Investigators located the detached left horizontal stabilizer 22.2 meters from the final wreckage position. The main debris field was found approximately 36.4 meters from the initial tree impact.
Physical inspection revealed that the cockpit and passenger cabin were destroyed by fire. Although the engines remained attached to the airframe, the investigation included a reconstruction of the wreckage at a hangar in Guaymaral to analyze component integrity and the fire pattern. Investigators also utilized drone imagery to map the aircraft's final position relative to the runway and verified the operational continuity of the rudder control cables.