What happened
The flight was approaching Bogotá-Techo under challenging meteorological conditions characterized by clouds and fog. During the descent phase, the aircraft encountered terrain at an altitude of 10,500 feet. The four-engine machine collided with the slope of Mt El Tablazo in Supatá, situated approximately 42 kilometers north of the city. Upon impact, the airframe disintegrated completely. At the time of the collision, the peak was obscured by cloud cover, and the aircraft struck the mountain roughly two meters below its summit. This incident resulted in 53 fatalities, marking it as the deadliest accident in civil aviation history at that time.
Findings
Investigations determined that the crew initiated the descent earlier than required. The primary contributing factor was the failure to adhere to the minimum prescribed altitude, leading to the controlled flight into terrain.