What happened
On a flight originating from Bogotá and scheduled for its final leg to Medellín, an aircraft departed from Runway 09 at Riohacha-Almirante Padilla Airport at 14:18 local time. Approximately four minutes into the flight, while the plane was ascending to an altitude of 3,400 feet, it began an uncontrolled descent. The aircraft descended at a rate of 6,000 feet per minute and struck a forested area roughly 19 km from the airport approximately 30 seconds after the descent began. The impact caused the airframe to break apart. There were 69 fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors.
Findings
Investigations revealed that an explosive substance was present on the aircraft. This explosion resulted in significant damage to critical onboard systems, specifically targeting the hydraulic system. This damage reached a level where the pilot lost all control of the aircraft during the climb phase.