What happened
On 18 December, an Aerocondlam de Colombia aircraft, operating on behalf of Passaat Ltd., was performing a non-scheduled international flight from Miami International Airport to Bogotá-El Dorado Airport. The flight departed Miami at 2040 hours local time on 17 December and proceeded without incident until its arrival in Colombia.
At approximately 0240 hours local time, the crew contacted the Air Route Traffic Control Centre to request a frequency change to contact the El Dorado Control Tower. While initially cleared for Runway 12, the crew requested permission to land on Runway 30. Controllers subsequently instructed the aircraft to proceed toward the inner marker for Runway 12 at 8,895 feet, suggesting a circling approach to Runway 30 if visual conditions allowed. At the time, the aerodrome was experiencing patches of fog.
During the approach, the crew reported that visibility toward Runway 12 appeared to be improving. The aircraft was cleared to land, with controllers providing the QNH and confirming calm winds. Shortly after the flight reported being on final approach, an explosion occurred. Emergency responders located the wreckage approximately 10 to 20 meters before the threshold of Runway 12. The accident resulted in 17 fatalities (four crew members and 13 passengers) and 42 injuries. The aircraft was destroyed.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified several contributing factors. The primary cause was determined to be pilot error, specifically that the pilot-in-command misjudged the altitude of the aircraft relative to the ground, leading to an undershot landing.
Additional findings included:
- The pilot-in-command made a poor decision to attempt a landing in variable weather conditions, which likely obscured the VASI lights and the runway threshold.
- The aircraft was landing at a weight 5,800 lb above the manufacturer's specified limit.
- The pilot-in-command was operating with a second-class medical certificate, which did not meet U.S. FAA requirements for commanding a commercial transport aircraft.
- An unauthorized fourth person, identified as an Aerocondor manager, was present in the cockpit during the final approach and may have distracted the pilot.
- While the aircraft's engines and controls were functioning correctly, the crew failed to follow the prescribed missed approach procedures.