What happened
Before departing from Guatemala City for Tegucigalpa, the aircraft experienced the failure of one engine along with a generator. Following this malfunction, passengers were removed from the plane, and the captain elected to proceed with the flight using only three engines. Shortly after takeoff, during the climb phase, the pilot communicated a critical emergency and requested an immediate return to the airport.
During the final turn of the return maneuver, the aircraft type lost altitude and struck a residential neighborhood approximately 1,500 meters from the airfield. The impact resulted in a large fire that destroyed the plane and several nearby homes. The accident resulted in six fatalities among those on board and caused 38 injuries to individuals on the ground.
Findings
Investigations revealed that an additional generator failed during the early stages of the climb for undetermined reasons. This secondary failure led to a drop in hydraulic pressure below required minimum levels, which subsequently caused the airspeed to decrease until the aircraft entered a stall. Additionally, investigators noted that improper aircraft trim served as a contributing factor to the loss of control.