What happened
During a departure from Santa Marta-Simón Bolívar Airport, an aircraft experienced a mechanical issue while in the climbing phase of flight. The crew reported an engine malfunction to air traffic control and received authorization to perform an emergency return to the airfield.
While attempting to maneuver back toward the airport, the plane became uncontrollable. The aircraft subsequently impacted the ocean a few kilometers away from the coastline. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. There were four fatalities among the occupants of the flight.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident was precipitated by an engine failure of unknown origin.