Incident Overview
Following a departure from Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport, the aircraft experienced a failure of its left engine during the climb phase. The pilot promptly declared an emergency and received clearance to return to the airport. However, attempts to feather the left propeller were unsuccessful, leading to increasing instability of the aircraft.
Emergency Landing
Given the deteriorating conditions, the captain decided to execute a belly landing in an open field in the vicinity of the airport. The aircraft slid for several dozen meters before coming to a stop. All 28 individuals on board evacuated the aircraft without injury, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage and was ultimately written off.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that the left engine failure resulted from a hydraulic leak. Specifically, a hydraulic hose had not been properly connected following a maintenance procedure and subsequently failed after takeoff.