Popayán-Guillermo León Valencia | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The twin engine airplane departed Popayán-Guillermo León Valencia Airport runway 26 at 14:06:06. The aircraft encountered difficulties to gain sufficient height. About 20 seconds after liftoff, at a speed of 82 knots, the aircraft rolled to the right then entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed onto two houses located 530 metres past the runway end. Two passengers were seriously injured and seven other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

A loss of in-flight control of the aircraft due to possible excess weight. The aircraft probably managed to take off due to "ground effect", but, once in the air and out of ground effect, it was not able to obtain the speed that would allow it to safely accomplish the climb.
Contributing Factors:
- Absence of Dispatch procedures of the operator to perform a correct Weight and Balance of the aircraft, and the effective control of the boarded cargo.
- Incorrect calculation of the weight and balance of the aircraft by the crew, by not considering all the cargo that was loaded, causing the aircraft to take off with a possible excess weight.
- Weak operational safety management processes of the operator by not considering the operating characteristics of airfields such as Popayán (high altitude, high ambient temperature) that significantly limit the operation.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 600) near Cajamarca: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 2003 at 1539 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 600)

Operator:

Pablo Valencia Iragorri

Registration:

HK-3645P

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Guaymaral – Girardot – Popayán

MSN:

60-0159-072

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

11169

Captain / Total hours on type:

31.00

Aircraft flight hours:

2169

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was completing a flight from Guaymaral to Popayán with an intermediate stop in Girardot, carrying four passengers and one pilot. The aircraft departed Girardot-Santiago Vila Airport at 1523LT. The pilot contacted Bogotá Control and reported his altitude at 4,200 feet bound to the west. At 1537LT, he received the QNH pressure. Two minutes later, while cruising in clouds, the aircraft collided with trees and crashed on the slope of a mountain, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found on Mt San Isidro five days later. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot decided to continue under VFR mode in IMC conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-32A in Popayán: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 2002 at 0853 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-32

Operator:

Registration:

HK-4171X

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Popayán – Medellín

MSN:

2508

YOM:

1991

Location:

Popayán-Guillermo León Valencia

Cauca

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9798

Captain / Total hours on type:

1548.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1069

Copilot / Total hours on type:

855

Aircraft flight hours:

3153

Circumstances:

The aircraft was chartered to transfer groups of prisoners from Medellín to Popayán on behalf of the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute. Fifty prisoners just disembarked at Popayán Airport when the crew departed on a ferry flight to Medellín for a second similar rotation. Popayán Airport is located at an altitude of 1,733 metres and its runway is 1,906 metres long. For unknown reasons, the crew decided to start the takeoff procedure from the intersection, reducing the available takeoff distance to 910 metres. Also, the flaps were deployed to an angle of 25° instead of 15° and the engine power was set at 95% instead of 100% as stipulated in the company procedures for airport located above the altitude of 1,400 metres. During the takeoff roll, at a distance of 150 metres from the runway end, the pilot realized he could not make it so he rejected the takeoff procedure and started an emergency braking manoeuvre. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, struck trees and came to rest, broken in two. Three passengers were killed while five other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Improper execution by the crew by not following the procedures, instructions and manuals of the aircraft manufacturer and approved to the SELVA company by the UAEAC, specifically when attempting to perform a takeoff in a wrong configuration, with a reduced power setting and an insufficient runway length for the execution of the procedure.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Piendamó

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-660

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Popayán – Cali

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Owned by the Colombian Air Force but operated by the Colombian Presidency, the aircraft was completing a charter flight from Popayán to Cali, carrying Felipe Herrera, Director of the Inter-American Development Bank (Banco interamericano de desarollo) and staff. Few minutes after takeoff from Popayán Airport, engine developed trouble and the crew decided to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a prairie located two km from Piendamó, about 22 km northeast of Popayán, and came to rest. While all 12 occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine trouble in flight.

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-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.