What happened
The incident occurred immediately following departure from Vila do Porto Airport on Santa Maria Island. The aircraft was operating a scheduled service between Madrid and Mexico City, with this leg serving as an intermediate stopover. During the initial climb phase just after liftoff, the crew experienced a loss of power in one of the four engines. This mechanical failure led to an aerodynamic stall, causing the airframe to descend rapidly and impact the runway surface. The aircraft came to rest on the ground following the collision.
Despite the severity of the crash, all 44 occupants survived without sustaining injuries. However, the structural integrity of the fuselage was compromised to such an extent that the aircraft was declared damaged beyond repair. The event highlighted the critical nature of engine redundancy management during the takeoff phase for multi-engine heavy aircraft.
Findings
Official investigations identified the primary factor as the loss of engine power during the takeoff sequence. This single-point failure in one of the four propulsion units triggered a chain of events that resulted in the stall and subsequent ground impact. The findings underscore the importance of immediate corrective action and go-around procedures when thrust asymmetry occurs at low altitude.