What happened
During an initial climb phase following departure from runway 21 at Guayaquil-Simon Bolivar Airport, the aircraft experienced a failure of its left engine. After notifying air traffic control of the emergency, the pilot received clearance to perform an emergency return to the airport.
While executing the final approach, the right engine also suffered a loss of power. This secondary failure caused the aircraft type to lose altitude, resulting in a crash into a swampy region located just before the runway threshold. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. The accident resulted in 8 fatalities (comprising one crew member and seven passengers) and 20 injuries, while 72 individuals on board escaped without harm.
Findings
Investigators were unable to identify the specific reason for the engine failures. However, records indicate that during a test flight conducted the day before the accident, the captain had reported insufficient power and improper engine response following an overhaul. Although ground crews had inspected the engines and documented no anomalies in the maintenance logs, the mechanical issues persisted into the subsequent flight.