Accident Overview
On the final leg of a trip originating from Bogotá earlier that day, the airplane departed Riohacha-Almirante Padilla Airport Runway 09 at 1418 local time, destined for Medellín. Four minutes after takeoff, while climbing through 3,400 feet, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent. With a rate of descent of 6,000 feet per minute, it crashed approximately 30 seconds later in a wooded area 19 kilometers from the airport.
Aircraft Damage and Occupants
The aircraft disintegrated on impact. All 69 occupants on board were killed. The crew consisted of pilot Pedro Leon Acosta Carvajal, copilot Jorge Jimenez Gonzalez, and flight engineer Jorge Silva Segura.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was the presence on board of an explosive substance, which caused substantial damage to the aircraft's systems, primarily the hydraulic system. This damage resulted in the pilot-in-command losing complete control of the aircraft in flight. The exact cause of the explosion could not be determined with certainty.