What happened
During a departure from runway 36 at Cartagena-Crespo Airport, an aircraft entered a descent while climbing to an altitude of approximately 70 feet. The plane struck the water roughly 1,310 meters beyond the threshold of the runway. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and caused 56 fatalities, including all four crew members and 52 passengers. A total of eight survivors were recovered from the wreckage.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified a significant maintenance error as a primary factor. Specifically, inspections during daily, nightly, or transit servicing failed to detect a missing nut or loose pin within the torsion links of the left landing gear. Additionally, investigators noted that the pilot may have experienced difficulty monitoring flight instruments while transitioning from VFR to IFR conditions. There was also evidence suggesting the pilot-in-command might have lost control of the aircraft while attempting to investigate simultaneous issues involving the number 2 engine and a failure in the landing gear well.