Incident Overview
The descent to Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport was conducted during nighttime and in poor weather conditions. As the aircraft approached the airport on short final for runway 35, the crew failed to realize that their altitude was insufficient. The aircraft subsequently struck a 10-floor building that was under construction and crashed approximately 3 km short of the runway.
Fatalities
All 10 occupants aboard the aircraft were killed in the crash. Additionally, three people on the ground lost their lives. Among the deceased was General Carlomagno Andrade, the Chief of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces.
Circumstances
The accident occurred while the aircraft was on short final approach. The building that was struck was a multi-story structure under construction. The impact and subsequent crash resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and significant damage to the building. The crash site was located about 3 km from the threshold of runway 35 at Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport.