Accident
On the day of the accident, the four-engine airplane departed Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport at 0806 local time as scheduled flight EH232 to Cuenca. The aircraft carried four crew members and 55 passengers. At approximately 0827 local time, while cruising at an altitude of 18,000 feet, the crew reported their position over Ambato. Eight minutes later, while continuing in limited visibility, the airplane collided with the slope of Mount Chimborazo, a peak 6,263 meters high.
Search and Recovery
When the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination, search and rescue operations were initiated. However, after several days without any trace of the aircraft or its 59 occupants, the search was suspended. On 17 October 2002, the wreckage was apparently located. A team of 20 alpinists reached the crash site on 18 February 2003. There, debris from the airplane was found, confirming that the wreckage was from flight EH232.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be controlled flight into terrain.