Incident Overview
A cargo aircraft departed Arica on a flight to Puerto Suarez. The aircraft was overloaded by 1,000 pounds. During the flight over the Andes Mountains, the right engine lost power.
Emergency Landing Attempt
Unable to maintain a safe altitude, the crew decided to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft subsequently struck stone walls and crashed in flames near Belén. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
The exact cause of the right engine failure could not be determined with certainty. However, as a result of the failure, the exhaust valve of the number 10 cylinder had failed from its piston beating against the spark plugs and cylinder head.