What happened
During a flight departing from Copán Airport, an aircraft encountered deteriorating weather conditions while navigating through mountainous terrain. The pilot-in-command chose to maintain visual flight rules (VFR) despite encountering marginal visibility. Approximately seven minutes after the departure from the airfield, the aircraft collided with the side of Mt Pena Blanca.
Search efforts located the wreckage a few hours after the impact. There were no survivors among the five fatalities recorded in the incident.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the pilot attempted to traverse the mountain range using only visual references to the ground. Because the weather conditions significantly limited the visibility ahead of the flight path, the crew was forced to descend to an altitude that proved insufficient for clearing the terrain. The attempt to fly under VFR in restricted visibility led to the fatal collision with the mountainside.