Accident
The crew filed an IFR flight plan from Guayaquil to Cuenca. After passing over the city of Puna, the pilot canceled the flight plan and continued under VFR. While descending to Cuenca, the crew encountered low clouds and failed to realize the aircraft's altitude was insufficient. The four-engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain a few kilometers from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, and all 24 occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that, following several negligences, the crew started the descent prematurely under VFR mode in clouds, causing the aircraft to continue below the minimum prescribed altitude until it struck the mountain, consistent with controlled flight into terrain.