What happened
A special flight departed from Havana Airport, carrying 10 crew members and 12 passengers. The mission of the flight was to travel to Valencia-Arturo Michelena Airport to collect Cuban rescue personnel who had been sent to assist Venezuelan authorities following devastating floods in the region.
After performing a holding pattern for approximately 40 minutes, the flight crew received clearance to descend from 8,000 feet to 4,000 feet. During the final approach phase, the three-engine aircraft collided with the slope of Mt San Luis. The impact occurred roughly 12 km before reaching the runway. The collision caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and there were 22 fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
The accident occurred while the aircraft was transitioning from a holding pattern to its final approach. The primary factor in the crash was the impact with terrain during the descent phase.