What happened
During a flight originating from Cali, the crew began their approach to runway 01 at Santa Marta-Simón Bolívar Airport. As the aircraft progressed on final approach, the flight crew encountered adverse weather conditions, including heavy rainfall, turbulence, and windshear. Due to the unstable nature of the approach under these conditions, the captain elected to execute a go-around.
A subsequent attempt at an approach was initiated several minutes later. However, the aircraft remained in an unstable state during the second approach. The aircraft touched down on the wet surface of runway 01 at a speed that was considered excessive, resulting in the plane landing approximately 490 metres from the runway threshold.
Because the aircraft could not be stopped within the remaining runway length, it overran the pavement, breached a perimeter fence, and struck several pylons. The momentum carried the aircraft down a concrete embankment, where the cockpit section eventually came to rest in the sea. There were no fatalities among the 60 occupants, all of whom evacuated the aircraft safely. The aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.
Findings
- The aircraft landed at an excessive speed on a wet runway.
- Severe weather, including windshear and heavy rain, contributed to the unstable approach.