What happened
During an approach to Barquisimeto Airport, the flight crew encountered heavy fog that significantly restricted visibility. While on short final, the aircraft descended beneath the established glide path and made contact with the ground approximately 1,015 meters before reaching the runway threshold.
The force of the impact caused the landing gear to be torn from the airframe. The plane continued to slide on its fuselage toward the runway threshold, where it eventually came to a stop after breaking into two separate pieces. The accident resulted in 23 fatalities (comprising one crew member and 22 passengers) and left 27 survivors with injuries.
Findings
Investigations determined that the primary cause was an incorrect approach configuration by the crew, which led to the plane flying below the required glide slope until it hit the terrain. Several contributing elements were identified in the accident:
- The crew did not execute a go-around despite the deteriorating situation.
- Poor decision-making occurred during the flight.
- There was insufficient oversight of the flight operations.
- Low visibility caused by fog hampered the crew's ability to maintain situational awareness.