What happened
During the initial climb phase following departure from Sogamoso-Alberto Lleras Camargo Airport, the aircraft experienced a failure of its left engine. At the time of the incident, visibility was limited. In response to the engine malfunction, the crew attempted to perform a circuit to return to the airfield for an emergency landing. However, during this maneuver, the aircraft entered a stall and subsequently crashed into a wasteland located approximately 8 km from the airport.
The accident resulted in 17 fatalities among the occupants, while one steward survived with injuries.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the primary reason for the accident was an insufficient repair of a known mechanical issue involving oil leaking into the left engine turbine section. The necessary technical repairs had not been properly completed prior to the flight. A significant contributing factor was identified as a structural failure within the engine, specifically the breakage of the front bearing in the turbine drive shaft and accessory section. This mechanical failure caused the shaft to break, leading to the total loss of power in the left engine immediately after takeoff and the subsequent loss of control during the return turn.