Cali-Alfonso Bonilla Aragón (ex Palmaseca)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Santa Marta-Simón Bolívar

Schedule:

Cali - Santa Marta

MSN:

190-00076

YOM:

2007

Flight number:

RPB7330

Location:

Magdalena

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

13737

Captain / Total hours on type:

238.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2148

Copilot / Total hours on type:

233

Aircraft flight hours:

998

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Cali, the crew started the approach to Santa Marta-Simón Bolívar Airport runway 01. On final approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls, turbulences and windshear. As the aircraft was unstable, the captain decided to abandon the approach and initiated a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, the crew started a second approach. Still unstable, the aircraft landed too far down the wet runway 01 at an excessive speed, about 490 metres from the runway end. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, went through a fence, collided with pylons, went down a concrete embankment and came to rest with the cockpit in the sea. All 60 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Continuation of the approach and landing without being stabilized on finals with an excessive speed caused the aircraft to cross the threshold of the runway with an additional 41 knots during a low angle approach, which caused the aircraft wheels to touch down positively when there were only 490 meters of runway available, an insufficient distance to stop the aircraft within the runway.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Lack of situational awareness regarding the approach and landing speed, after having disconnected the automated systems of the aircraft.
- Omission of call outs by the Pilot Monitoring to warn the pilot in control of speeding in order to persuade him to execute a missed approach.
- The delay in initiating a missed approach procedure / interrupted landing in circumstances that indicated the desirability to take such a measure during a destabilized approach.
- Misperception to believe that the aircraft could be stopped within the limited remaining available runway without analyzing the status and distance without having positive contact due to speeding.

Final Report:

Crash of a Comp Air CA-8 in Cali

Date & Time: Mar 8, 2007 at 0653 LT

Type of aircraft:

Comp Air CA-8

Operator:

David Quinones

Registration:

N2411B

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Cali-Alfonso Bonilla Aragón (ex Palmaseca)

Schedule:

Cali – Medellín

MSN:

S2000

Location:

Valle del Cauca

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed shortly after take off from Cali-Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport, bound for Medellín. Both occupants were injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 in Cali

Date & Time: Jan 8, 2005 at 1548 LT

Type of aircraft:

McDonnell Douglas MD-83

Operator:

Registration:

VP-BGI

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Cali-Alfonso Bonilla Aragón (ex Palmaseca)

Schedule:

Cartagena – Cali

MSN:

49940

YOM:

1990

Flight number:

RPB7463

Location:

Valle del Cauca

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

164

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

41329

Aircraft flight cycles:

18037

Circumstances:

After landing at Cali-Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport, the aircraft encountered difficulties to decelerate properly. It overrun the runway 19 (which is 9,842 feet long), lost its undercarriage, collided with the perimeter fence and came to rest on its belly. Six passengers were slightly injured while all other occupants escaped unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by a chain of errors and mistakes which began by accepting and carrying out a hasty descent that led to the omission of key points in the checklist such as the arming of the spoilers, excessive descent rate and speed and a configuration that led to faulty placement of the aircraft on the runway in abnormal conditions and 862 meters from the normal touchdown point. These conditions caused a vibration of the right main landing gear that could not be controlled by the Shimmy Damper, allowing higher loads to the strength of the undercarriage, which broke.

Crash of a Boeing 757-223 near Buga: 159 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1995 at 2138 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 757-200

Operator:

Registration:

N651AA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Miami - Cali

MSN:

24609

YOM:

1991

Flight number:

AA965

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

155

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

159

Captain / Total flying hours:

13000

Captain / Total hours on type:

2260.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

5800

Copilot / Total hours on type:

2286

Aircraft flight hours:

13782

Aircraft flight cycles:

4922

Circumstances:

At about 18:34 EST, American Airlines Flight 965 took off from Miami for a flight to Cali. At 21:34, while descending to FL200, the crew contacted Cali Approach. The aircraft was 63 nm out of Cali VOR (which is 8nm South of the airport) at the time. Cali cleared the flight for a direct Cali VOR approach and report at Tulua VOR. Followed one minute later by a clearance for a straight in VOR DME approach to runway 19 (the Rozo 1 arrival). The crew then tried to select the Rozo NDB (Non Directional Beacon) on the Flight Management Computer (FMC). Because their Jeppesen approach plates showed 'R' as the code for Rozo, the crew selected this option. But 'R' in the FMC database meant Romeo. Romeo is a navaid 150nm from Rozo, but has the same frequency. The aircraft had just passed Tulua VOR when it started a turn to the left (towards Romeo). This turn caused some confusion in the cockpit since Rozo 1 was to be a straight in approach. 87 Seconds after commencing the turn, the crew activated Heading Select (HDG SEL), which disengaged LNAV and started a right turn. The left turn brought the B757 over mountainous terrain, so a Ground Proximity (GPWS) warning sounded. With increased engine power and nose-up the crew tried to climb. The spoilers were still activated however. The stick shaker then activated and the aircraft crashed into a mountain at about 8900 feet (Cali field elevation being 3153 feet).

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
1. The flightcrew's failure to adequately plan and execute the approach to runway 19 at SKCL and their inadequate use of automation.
2. Failure of the flightcrew to discontinue the approach into Cali, despite numerous cues alerting them of the inadvisability of continuing the approach.
3. The lack of situational awareness of the flightcrew regarding vertical navigation, proximity to terrain, and the relative location of critical radio aids.
4. Failure of the flightcrew to revert to basic radio navigation at the time when the FMS-assisted navigation became confusing and demanded an excessive workload in a critical phase of the flight.

Final Report:

Crash of an Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante on Mt Nevado del Huila: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1995 at 0943 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HK-2594

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Neiva - Cali

MSN:

110-310

YOM:

1980

Flight number:

ARE413

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5892

Captain / Total hours on type:

91.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

451

Copilot / Total hours on type:

187

Aircraft flight hours:

29923

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Neiva-Benito Salas Airport at 0922LT on a regular schedule flight to Cali, carrying six passengers and two pilots. After departure, the crew was cleared to climb under VFR to the altitude of 14,500 feet. The last radio communication was recorded at 0940LT and three minutes later, while cruising in clouds at the altitude of 14,271 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Nevado del Huila (5,750 metres high). SAR operations were initiated but the wreckage was found 10 days later only, at an altitude of 4,350 metres. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident due to lack of evidences. CVR, FDR, ATC communication and debris analysis failed to determine a possible cause to the accident. The following factors were reported:
- The crew deviated from the planned route,
- Reporting of inaccurate positions on the points that had projected in the Flight Plan,
- Using a route on a flight level that requires the use of oxygen both for individuals and crews.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 737-204 near Tucutí: 47 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1992 at 2100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 737-200

Operator:

Registration:

HP-1205CMP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Miami – Panama City – Cali

MSN:

22059

YOM:

1979

Flight number:

CM201

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

45946

Aircraft flight cycles:

17845

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Panama City-Tocumen Airport runway 21L at 2036LT bound for Cali, Colombia. While cruising at FL250, the crew was informed about poor weather conditions 30-50 miles ahead. Shortly later, there was an intermittent failure of the main attitude indicator due to a short circuit. This was not noticed by the flight crew, who attempted to adjust the aircraft attitude based on the false information from the attitude indicator. They lost control of the aircraft which entered a steep descent and started to disintegrate at FL100, and impacting the ground 80° nose down. The wreckage was found in the jungle about 13 km southwest of Tucití. All 47 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The following findings were reported:
- Loss of control of the aircraft because the flight crew followed false information from an attitude indicator that operated intermittently.
- Lack of visible horizon during cruise flight due to night and approaching bad weather.
- Insufficient cross-checking between the primary and emergency (standby) attitude indicators to identify intermittent attitude errors and to select a reliable source of (correct) attitude information.
- Non-standard cabin configurations between aircraft in the fleet of the company, which required the crew to determine how to set the switches based on the aircraft was being operated at the time.
- Incomplete ground crew training simulator, as it did not present 'differences between aircraft' and 'crew resource management' in sufficient detail to give the crew knowledge to overcome intermittent attitude indicator errors and to maintain control of the aircraft.

Crash of a Learjet 35A in Cumuatillo: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 35

Operator:

Transamérica Táxi Aéreo

Registration:

PT-OEF

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Cali - Cumuatillo

MSN:

35-102

YOM:

1972

Location:

Cumuatillo-Pajacuarán

Michoacán

Country:

Mexico

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew attempted a night landing at Cumuatillo-Pajacuarán Airport that was not equipped with any facilities, tower or lighting systems. The aircraft approached in a wrong position relating to the runway direction and struck the ground near the runway threshold in a near perpendicular heading. It went out of control, crashed and came to rest near a road, broken in several pieces. Both pilots were killed. A load of cocaine was found among the debris.

Probable cause:

The crew was completing an illegal flight from Cali, Colombia, carrying a load of cocaine, and attempted to land by night on an airport that was not suitable for such aircraft and operations. No flight plan was filed and the crew entered illegally the Mexican airspace.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-15 in Tumaco

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-9

Operator:

Registration:

HK-2864X

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Handley Page HPR-7 Dart Herald

Schedule:

Bogotá – Cali – Tumaco – Pasto

MSN:

45721

YOM:

1966

Flight number:

RS201

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Tumaco-La Florida Airport, at a height of about 100 feet, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and struck the runway surface. The crew was able to complete the braking procedure, vacated the runway and stopped the aircraft on the apron. All 92 occupants evacuated when the right wing partially failed. Few passengers were injured and the aircraft was later considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that on short final, during the last segment, the copilot inadvertently extended the spoilers, causing the aircraft to enter a rapid descent until it impacted the runway surface with a positive acceleration that exceeded its certification. Presence of corrosion in the wing's root was reported as a contributing factor. Lack of crew coordination and poor planned approach also contributed to the mishap.

Crash of a Handley Page HPR.7 Dart Herald 401 near Roncesvalles: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1989 at 2344 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HK-2702

Flight Phase: