On August 19, 1985, a Martin 404 (registration CP-1704) operated by Compañia Aérea Nacional - CAN was involved in an aviation accident near La Paz-El Alto, Bolivia during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The engine failed for reasons that have not yet been determined. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft sustained heavy damage after an engine failed during the rotation phase of takeoff from La Paz-El Alto Airport.
What happened
During a departure from La Paz-El Alto Airport, an aircraft type experienced a critical mechanical failure. As the flight was transitioning through the rotation phase of its takeoff roll, one of the engines ceased to function properly.
This sudden loss of power prevented the aircraft from maintaining the necessary climb gradient. Consequently, the plane crashed during the initial ascent. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. While there were no fatalities, the incident left three crew members injured during the accident sequence.
Findings
The investigation into the crash centered on the loss of propulsion at a high-workload moment of flight. The primary contributing factor was an engine failure occurring precisely at the moment of rotation.
Probable cause
The engine failed for reasons that have not yet been determined.