What happened
On the afternoon of the incident, a flight traveling from Maicao toward Bogotá departed from Valledupar-Alfonso Lopez Pumarejo Airport at 15:30 local time. The aircraft was en route to Barrancabermeja when the crew identified mechanical issues involving the left engine during the initial climb phase.
Following the identification of these technical difficulties, the flight crew received authorization to return to the departure airport for an emergency landing. While performing the final approach toward runway 02, the pilot attempted to land the aircraft; however, the plane struck the ground approximately 900 meters before reaching the runway threshold.
As a result of the impact, the aircraft was completely destroyed. There were 32 injuries reported among the occupants, though no fatalities were documented in this event.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the primary factor was the failure of the left engine during the early stages of flight following takeoff.