What happened
A twin-engine cargo flight departed from Villavicencio-La Vanguardia Airport at 09:09 local time, destined for Miraflores. The aircraft was transporting three crew members, 11 passengers, and approximately 3 tons of cargo. Shortly after the takeoff phase, during the climb, the right engine experienced a failure. In response to the emergency, the crew received clearance to perform an emergency return to Villavicencio.
During the approach to the airport, the crew instructed the passengers to move to the rear of the cabin to assist with jettisoning the cargo. As the 11 passengers relocated to the back of the plane, the aircraft entered a stall. The plane subsequently crashed into a field situated less than 2 km from the airport, near La Poyata. The accident resulted in 13 fatalities and one injury to the pilot.
Findings
- The loss of power in the right engine necessitated an emergency landing.
- The shift in weight caused by passengers moving to the rear of the cabin led to an aerodynamic stall during the approach.