Nueva Loja-Lago Agrio | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The twin engine airplane (a PA-31 Panther II variant) departed Nueva Loja-Lago Agrio Airport at 1023LT on an ambulance flight to Guayaquil, carrying one patient, one nurse, two doctors and two pilots. The descent to Guayaquil-José Joaquín de Olmedo Airport was started when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the Río Salitre, near Salitre, about 35 km north of Guayaquil Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild-Hiller FH-227C on Mt El Tigre: 26 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 2002 at 1101 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild-Hiller FH-227

Operator:

Registration:

HC-AYM

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Quito – Nueva Loja

MSN:

511

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

17709

Captain / Total hours on type:

8338.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

12229

Copilot / Total hours on type:

6066

Aircraft flight hours:

29154

Aircraft flight cycles:

45178

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport at 1038LT on a charter flight to Nueva Loja-Lago Agrio Airport, carrying 21 oil workers and and five crew members on behalf of the Texaco Oil Company. While cruising under VFR mode at an altitude of 15,500 feet, the crew was instructed by ATC to change heading to 094° in order to descent to Nueva Loja for a landing on runway 23. But the crew failed to comply with this instruction and continued straight ahead. Few minutes later, the crew started the descent in foggy conditions when the aircraft struck the slope of Mt El Tigre located in the south part of Colombia, near the border with Ecuador. The wreckage was found three days later at an altitude of 4,500 metres. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 26 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain after the crew suffered a loss of situational awareness since their attention was focused on aspects that were not related to the flight being executed and therefore neglecting the primary function of flight which is the control of the aircraft and decision making.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The crew failed to maintain a sterile cockpit situation,
- The crew was continuously distracted during the flight,
- Lack of technical documentation in the CIA that supports the operation,
- Lack of crew training about Crew Resources Management, human factors and Control Flight Into Terrain(CFIT),
- The weather conditions at the time of the accident on Mt El Tigre made it impossible for the crew to see the mountain,
- The aircraft was not equipped with a Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS).

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Gulfstream 690C Jetprop 840 in Ecuador

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1991

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Gulfstream 690C Jetprop 840

Operator:

Transporte Aéreo Ejecutivo - TAE

Registration:

HC-BHU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Guayaquil - Lago Agrio

MSN:

690-11634

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

About 30 minutes into the flight, the pilot informed ATC about his position when contact was lost. It was later reported that the aircraft has been hijacked and crashed landed somewhere in the Sur Cayambe province. All seven occupants were released but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Crash landed after being hijacked.

Crash of a Lockheed L-188A Electra in Lago Agrio: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1988 at 1429 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-188 Electra

Operator:

Registration:

HC-AZY

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Lago Agrio - Quito

MSN:

1052

YOM:

1959

Location:

Nueva Loja-Lago Agrio

Sucumbíos

Country:

Ecuador

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The engine n°2 was inoperative due to technical problems and the crew decided to takeoff on a positioning flight to Quito with only three engines. Shortly after takeoff from Lago Agrio Airport, while in initial climb, the engine n°1 caught fire and exploded. The crew lost control of the aircraft that banked left and crashed, bursting into flames. All seven occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure and explosion of the engine n°1 at takeoff for unknown reasons.

Ground fire of a Douglas DC-4 in Lago Agrio

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-4

Operator:

Registration:

HC-ANP

Flight Phase:

Parking

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

22149

YOM:

1945

Location:

Nueva Loja-Lago Agrio

Sucumbíos

Country:

Ecuador

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

20413

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft was destroyed by fire at Lago Agrio Airport. The mishap occurred in unknown circumstances at an unknown date during 1969. Some unofficial reports says the fire was intentionally set.