Incident Overview
On approach to San Borja-Capitán Germán Quiroga Guardia Airport, the crew initiated a descent under limited visibility conditions. At an altitude of 3,000 meters, the aircraft collided with the slope of Mt Pilón, located approximately 80 kilometers southwest of the airport. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, resulting in the deaths of all 23 occupants.
Descent and Impact
The accident occurred during the descent phase. The crew had started descending toward the airport, but the aircraft descended into mountainous terrain before reaching the runway. The precise reasons for the premature descent remain unknown, but the event was classified as a controlled flight into terrain, where an airworthy aircraft is inadvertently flown into terrain or an obstacle.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was that, for unknown reasons, the crew started the descent prematurely, and the accident was the result of a controlled flight into terrain.