12 fatalities

Fatal mountain collision near Natagaima, Colombia (FAC-620)

Natagaima, ColombiaFlight

On March 13, 1957, a Consolidated PBY Catalina (registration FAC-620) operated by Colombian Air Force - Fuerza Aérea Colombiana was involved in an aviation accident near Natagaima, Colombia in flight. 12 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck a mountain during its flight from Bogotá to Tres Esquinas. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft traveling from Bogotá to Tres Esquinas crashed into a mountain in the Tolima region, resulting in no survivors.

What happened

On a flight originating from Bogotá and destined for Tres Esquinas, an aircraft impacted a mountain located in the vicinity of Natagaima, within the department of Tolima. Following the failure of the plane to reach its intended destination, search and rescue operations were initiated to locate the missing vessel.

After an eleven-day period, the wreckage was discovered by recovery teams on March 24. The impact resulted in a total of 12 fatalities, with no survivors reported among the occupants of the aircraft.

Findings

No specific technical findings regarding the mechanical state of the aircraft were provided in the initial report; however, the primary factor in the accident was the collision with mountainous terrain during the flight.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck a mountain during its flight from Bogotá to Tres Esquinas.