Accident Overview
An aircraft on a flight from San Vicente del Caguán to Florencia crashed into a mountain on final approach. The crew had been informed that Florencia-Gustavo Artunduaga Paredes Airport was closed to traffic due to insufficient visibility caused by dense fog. Despite this, the crew initiated an approach and began a descent.
Sequence of Events
The last radio contact with the aircraft occurred 10 minutes before the accident, at which time the aircraft was at an altitude of 3,600 feet. While on final approach, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 15 km from the airport. The mountain was shrouded in clouds at the time. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact, and all 46 occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain after the crew decided to continue the approach in below-minima weather conditions.