Accident Details
A charter flight en route from Buenos Aires to Quito with an intermediate stop in La Paz was conducting its descent to Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport under night conditions with good weather. While descending to an altitude of 16,000 feet, the aircraft collided with the slope of Mount Sincholagua, a 4,899-meter peak situated approximately 45 kilometers southeast of Quito. The wreckage was discovered the following morning, and all five passengers and two pilots on board were killed.
Investigation
The official investigation determined that the crew had selected the wrong navigation frequency, using the Condorcocha VOR instead of the Monjas VOR. This error led the aircraft to follow an incorrect pattern for the approach to Quito Airport. The investigation also reported several contributing factors: the crew was not familiar with the Quito region, their experience on this type of aircraft was limited, they were suffering from fatigue, they engaged in a private conversation that violated flight rules, they failed to perform appropriate controls during the descent, and they had poor approach planning.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was the crew's selection of the wrong VOR frequency (Condorcocha instead of Monjas), resulting in the aircraft deviating from the correct approach path. Contributing factors included unfamiliarity with the area, limited experience on the aircraft type, fatigue, non-compliance with flight rules regarding private conversations, inadequate control actions during descent, and insufficient approach planning.