What happened
During a routine cargo operation, an unidentified aircraft type was performing its final approach toward the Catamayo-Camilo Ponce Enríquez Airport. As the flight progressed, the crew encountered significantly reduced visibility caused by smoke drifting from nearby sugar cane field burns. Additionally, the positioning of the sun during sunrise created glare for the flight crew.
While attempting to land, the aircraft made contact with the terrain approximately three meters before reaching the runway threshold. The force of the impact resulted in the separation of the right main landing gear. Following the initial strike, the plane slid along its right wing for a distance of roughly 200 meters. During this excursion, both the number 3 and number 4 engines on the right side sustained partial damage as they were torn from their mounts. The aircraft eventually came to a stop on the runway.
Findings
Investigation into the incident determined that the crew failed to maintain an adequate altitude during the approach. This error was compounded by the limited visibility resulting from local agricultural burning and the blinding effects of the sunrise.