Incident Overview
An aircraft operating a flight from Trinidad to Oruro encountered adverse weather conditions, including turbulence, during the en route phase. The crew subsequently lost control of the aircraft, which crashed into a mountainside in the San Ignacio de Moxos region. The wreckage was located two days after the accident. All seven occupants on board were killed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation into the accident determined that the ropes used to secure the cargo failed while the aircraft was experiencing atmospheric turbulence. This failure allowed the cargo to shift, which modified the aircraft's center of gravity (CofG). As a result of the altered CofG and the cargo movement, the aircraft became uncontrollable under the existing conditions.
The probable cause statement notes that the combination of the cargo restraint failure and the turbulent environment led to an unrecoverable situation for the crew.