Pasto-Antonio Nariño | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route from Calí to Villagarzón, the crew contacted ATC and reported technical problems with the left engine. After being cleared to divert to Pasto-Antonio Nariño Airport, the crew modified his route and started the descent. On approach, the flaps were lowered at 38° and the speed was reduced to 250 km/h. After the gears were selected down, the speed increased to 270 km/h so full flaps was selected. After touchdown on runway 02 which is 2,312 metres long, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, went down a 15 metres high embankment and came to rest, broken in two and with its left wing torn off. All 53 occupants were rescued, among them few were injured.

Probable cause:

Taking into account that the operator failed to cooperate with the investigators by sending the necessary documentation on the the anti skid system, the braking system, as well as the propellers and did not manage the reading of the flight recorders; the available evidence establishes as POSSIBLE CAUSE the failure of one or some of the related systems above; in addition to the inadequate operation during the single-engine landing, which finally produced the departure of the aircraft at the end of the runway.

Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 748-260-2A in Pasto

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1983

Type of aircraft:

Avro 748

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-1104

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

1705

YOM:

1971

Flight number:

NSE104

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances upon landing at Pasto-Antonio Nariño Airport. All 21 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near San Lorenzo: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1968 at 1315 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Registration:

HK-248

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Popayán – Pasto

MSN:

978

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Popayán to Pasto, the single engine struck the slope of Mt El Calvario located about 3 km northeast of San Lorenzo. A passenger was seriously injured while five other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL on Tajumbina Peak: 29 killed

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1966 at 0956 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

HK-161

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Bogotá – Pasto

MSN:

19630

YOM:

1944

Flight number:

AV729

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6653

Captain / Total hours on type:

2069.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1701

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1097

Aircraft flight hours:

28422

Circumstances:

Flight 739 was a scheduled domestic flight from Bogotá-El Dorado Airport to Pasta-Cano Airport. It was scheduled to depart Bogotá at 0615 hours local time; however, when the crew reported to the Avianca operations office at 0550 hours they were advised that Eldorado Airport was closed owing to thick fog. The airport was reopened to operations at 0750 hours. At about 0830 hours Flight 729 was observed to have commenced taxiing and entered the runway system without having received a clearance to do so. The flight was then given instructions for Runway 30 but further transmissions on 121.9 mc/s were not acknowledged. The flight was subsequently contacted on 118.1 mc/s and the pilot stated he had confused instructions with those given to another aircraft. Take-off was made on runway 10 and when over the threshold of Runway 12 the aircraft commenced a very steep turn to the left in a nose-high attitude. Recovery was effected and the aircraft departed at 0838 hours on a VFR flight plan. After the take-off and climb the flight left the Bogota tower frequency and subsequently contacted Bogota Control and Route Control on 5589 Kc/s. The following position reports were received: 12 500 ft over Guataqui at 0842 hrs, over El Paso at 0902 hrs, over Tuluá at 0924 hrs; at 8 500 ft over Cali, at 0942 hrs, and at 8 500 it over Santander at 0948 hrs estimating Dos Rios at 1014 hrs. No position report for Dos Rios was received. The Tuluá position report was transmitted to Cali as follows: "Tuluá 0922 descending to 8 500, estimating Cali 0942". As the message was very weak the flight was requested to confirm its departure and position; it reported on route frequency 5476.5 KC/S its departure as 0825/38. The flight was then requested to change to VHF frequency 119.1 for radio contact when approaching Cali. It did so but as its signals were not heard it returned to the route frequency stating that it would remain on that frequency since it had not been able to establish contact on the VHF frequency. At 1030 hrs Cali requested information on the flight from Pasto, which reported that the flight had not arrived and there was no information about it. From 1030 hrs onwards the aircraft was called on all available frequencies but no reply was received. An alert phase was declared at 1100 hrs and followed by a distress phase at 1125 hrs. The wreckage of the aircraft was found on 3 January 1967 after 11 days of searching. It had crashed and caught fire at an elevation of approximately 11 600 ft on the southern slopes of Tajumbina Peak (elevation 13 572 ft) in the El Descanse Police Inspectorate. Coordinates of the site of accident were 1° 20' 30" N 76° 47' 30" W. The accident occurred at approximately 0956 hrs on 24 December 1966. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 29 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was attributed to pilot error consisting of inflight indiscipline and rash imprudence on the part of the pilot-in-command of the aircraft for:
- Not having made use of the regulation rest period and having consumed alcoholic drinks a few hours before flying,
- Not having followed the route recommended in the Manual of Colombian Air Routes, which he reported he was taking; having reported positions that did not correspond to reality,
- Continuing a visual flight in unfavourable IFR conditions thereby failing to comply with the standards laid down in Part V of the Manual of Aeronautical Rules,
- Having flown at an altitude below the minimum safety altitude laid down for visual flying in Part V of the Manual of Aeronautical Rules (he flew along the Canon del Rfo Cascabel and subsequently crashed at an altitude of about 11 600 ft),
A possible contributory cause of this accident was inadequate supervision by the Airline consisting of a lack of control over the flight crews.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-55-DL near Pasto: 26 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1950

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

HK-307

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Popayán – Ipiales

MSN:

10194

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising west of Pasto, the aircraft hit the slope of the Galeras volcano. A young girl aged 10 was seriously injured while 26 other occupants were killed. For unknown reason, the aircraft was flying at an insufficient altitude.