Accident Details
On a night takeoff from Tomonoco Airport, a CV-440 aircraft encountered difficulties gaining sufficient height and struck the slope of Mt Colorado, located a few kilometers from the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact, and all 67 occupants were killed. Among the victims were several Army officers returning to La Paz with family members.
Probable Cause
According to official findings, the aircraft was overloaded at the time of the accident. The departure procedure for Tomonoco Airport requires a high climb gradient due to nearby mountains. The CV-440 had been modified by the army to carry more passengers than its original certification permitted. Because it was heavily loaded, the airplane was unable to achieve a sufficient positive rate of climb after takeoff until it struck the mountain.