Belly Landing After Left Engine Failure at Villavicencio-La Vanguardia Airport (HK-2497)

Incident Overview After takeoff from Villavicencio-La Vanguardia Airport, the captain reported severe vibrations in the left engine while climbing to 1,900 feet. The crew was cleared to return to the airport and shut down the left engine before beginning an approach to runway 22. During the final approach, the captain determined the aircraft could reach the airport and executed a belly landing approximately one kilometer short of the runway threshold. The aircraft came to rest in a field and sustained damage beyond repair. All 20 occupants on board escaped without injury. ## Probable Cause The official investigation determined that the vibrations and subsequent left engine failure resulted from improper adjustment of the intake valves on cylinders 8 and 9. These valves remained stuck in the open position, leading to high temperatures and a loss of engine power.