Incident
A Colombian Air Force aircraft, requisitioned to operate regular scheduled flights for Avianca due to a pilot strike, crashed shortly after takeoff from Leticia-Alfredo Vásquez Cobo Airport. Minutes into the flight, the pilot declared an emergency after the No. 3 engine caught fire. While attempting to return to the airport, the fire spread to the right wing. The aircraft lost control and crashed in a jungle area 32 km north of the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 80 occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause was a failure of the No. 3 engine for unknown reasons.