What happened
A scheduled domestic flight was operating between Caranobavi Airport and La Paz with a stopover at Tipuani. The aircraft arrived at Tipuani at 09:13 local time, initially carrying a crew of three, one supernumerary crew member, and a single passenger. During the stop in Tipuani, eleven adults and an infant boarded the plane.
The flight departed Tipuani at 09:34:36, with an expected arrival in La Paz at 10:10. At 10:02, the crew contacted Tipuani control to request a frequency change to the La Paz aerodrome control zone. After the aircraft failed to enter the designated control zone within the expected timeframe, an emergency was declared at 10:22.
Later that morning, reports from the Milluni broadcasting station indicated that an explosion had been observed in the sky, with debris falling near a local cemetery. The accident was confirmed at 11:21 by the crew of another aircraft, CP-621, which was operating in the vicinity. The wreckage was located at coordinates 16° 21' 00" S and 68° 10' 00" W, at an altitude of approximately 14,000 to 14,500 feet. The aircraft was completely destroyed, and there were 17 fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations concluded that a violent explosion of criminal origin occurred within the rear section of the aircraft during the flight phase. This blast caused the tail unit to separate from the fuselage. Evidence later suggested that a passenger had recently taken out multiple life insurance policies specifically covering plane crashes.