What happened
During the early morning hours at approximately 06:00 local time, the crew initiated a descent toward Armenia Airport. However, air traffic control issued instructions to divert the flight to Manizales due to unfavorable weather conditions present at the original destination. The crew adjusted their flight path to head toward Manizales Airport, situated roughly 60 km north of Armenia.
Approximately fifteen minutes following the diversion, the aircraft was in a descent phase under the cover of night and amidst poor visibility. During this period, the aircraft struck a mountain that was obscured by clouds. The impact caused the plane to disintegrate completely. There were 23 fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations into the accident concluded that the primary factor in the crash was controlled flight into terrain.