What happened
On November 10, 2024, at 16:41 local time, a Boeing 727-227, registration HK5216, operating a commercial cargo flight from Bogotá, Colombia, to Valencia, Venezuela, struck an obstacle during takeoff from runway 14L at El Dorado International Airport (SKBO).
The crew performed a rolling takeoff, a maneuver intended to accelerate the departure sequence. During the rotation, the aircraft utilized the entire available runway length and subsequently impacted the localizer antenna of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) located beyond the runway end. The aircraft also struck a pole in an adjacent property.
Following the impact, the crew executed the departure procedure and decided to return to the airport. The aircraft landed safely on runway 14R after the crew performed a weight reduction maneuver by holding in a holding pattern to consume fuel. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left main landing gear, the left wing flaps, and the left wing slats. All five occupants of the aircraft were uninjured, and no injuries were reported on the ground.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by the Colombian authorities established that the aircraft was operating under performance conditions that did not meet the required runway length and climb gradient requirements. The investigation focused on the takeoff performance calculations and the decision-making process regarding the use of a rolling takeoff in the presence of a tailwind.
Findings
- The primary cause was the pilot in command's decision to continue the takeoff under performance conditions that failed to satisfy the required runway length and climb gradient for the existing environmental variables.
- The takeoff weight was calculated using a value lower than the actual weight of the aircraft, meaning the aircraft departed with a mass exceeding the parameters established in the performance calculations.
- The use of the Improved Climb Takeoff procedure was insufficient to restore the necessary safety margins given the aircraft's actual weight and the prevailing wind conditions.
- A tailwind component of 9 knots contributed to the increased runway distance required and reduced the available performance margins.