Region
South America

Crash of a Boeing 727-100 in Bogota: 110 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1989 at 0716 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 727-100
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1803
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bogotá - Cali
MSN:
19035
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
AV203
Location:
Bogotá
Bogotá Capital District
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
101
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
110
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Bogotá-El Dorado Airport, the crew was cleared to climb to FL130 when the aircraft suffered an explosion. It entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a huge explosion near Soacha, about 16 km south of Bogotá Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 107 occupants were killed as well as three people on the ground.
Probable cause:
It was determined that a bomb was placed on board under the seat 14F by a Colombian narcotic cartel.

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:
Handley Page HPR-7 Dart Herald
Operator:
Registration:
HK-2702
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogotá – Cali
MSN:
180
YOM:
1964
Location:
Roncesvalles
Tolima
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While cruising by night on a cargo flight from Bogotá to Cali, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. In poor visibility, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Roncesvalles. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in Ocaña

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-1007
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
3531
YOM:
1959
Location:
Ocaña
Norte de Santander
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reasons, the four engine aircraft landed hard at Ocaña-Aguas Claras Airport and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 near Tame: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1989 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
HK-2486
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Yopal - Tame
MSN:
676
YOM:
1980
Location:
Tame
Arauca
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While descending to Tame-Gustavo Vargas Santos Airport in IMC conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft struck a mountain located few km from Tame. Six passengers were killed while 16 other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle 11R in Barranquilla: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle
Operator:
Registration:
HK-3325X
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Barranquilla – Bogotá
MSN:
215
YOM:
1967
Location:
Barranquilla-Ernesto Cortissoz (ex Soledad)
Atlántico
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a cargo flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá, carrying various goods including meat and a car. Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the cargo shifted and the aircraft got a nose up attitude. With an excessive angle of attack, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a residential area near the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants as well as two people on the ground were killed. Eleven other people on the ground were injured.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the cargo was not properly secured in the cargo compartment.

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan near Bogotá: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 1, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Registration:
HK-2898
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
404-0839
YOM:
1981
Location:
Bogotá
Bogotá Capital District
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Struck the slope of a mountain located near San Cristóbal, about 20 km southeast of Bogotá-El Dorado Airport. Both occupants were killed. The aircraft was completing an illegal flight, carrying a load of cocaine.

Crash of a Douglas B-26B Invader in Bogotá

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
J. R. Acosta
Registration:
HK-1247P
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Bogotá - Bogotá
MSN:
27829
YOM:
1944
Location:
Bogotá-El Dorado
Bogotá Capital District
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
One pilot and one engineer took off from Bogotá-El Dorado Airport on a post maintenance check flight. After takeoff, while completing a left turn, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed near residential area in Bogotá. Fortunately, both occupants were rescued and no one on ground was injured.

Crash of a Douglas AC-47B in Colombia: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1988 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-1650
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Villavicencio – Neiva
MSN:
14056/25501
YOM:
1944
Location:
Colombia
All Colombia
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while on a flight from Villavicencio to Neiva. All eight occupants were killed.

Crash of a Canadair CL-44J in Barranquilla: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1988 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Canadair CL-44
Operator:
Registration:
HK-3148X
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Barranquilla – Miami
MSN:
39
YOM:
1965
Location:
Barranquilla-Ernesto Cortissoz (ex Soledad)
Atlántico
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Two minutes after takeoff from Barranquilla-Ernesto Cortissoz Airport, while climbing, the crew informed ATC about the failure of the engine n°4 and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. After completing a turn, the captain continued the approach when the aircraft banked right and crashed few hundred meters short of runway 04. Five occupants were injured while three others were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on final approach following the failure of both right engines n°3 and 4 for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Boeing 727-21 near Cúcuta: 143 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1988 at 1317 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 727-100
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1716
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bucaramanga – Cúcuta – Cartagena – Barranquilla
MSN:
18999
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
AV410
Location:
Cúcuta
Norte de Santander
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
136
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
143
Captain / Total flying hours:
9727
Captain / Total hours on type:
4050.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
340
Aircraft flight hours:
43848
Circumstances:
Avianca flight 410 was destroyed when it impacted El Espartillo Mountain after takeoff from Cúcuta Airport in Colombia. All 143 occupants sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft, a Boeing 727-21 operated flight AV410 from Bucaramanga to Barranquilla, with en route stops at Cúcuta and Cartagena. Because the originally planned aircraft was not available, HK-1716 was prepared for the flight. This resulted in a departure delay of 2 hours and 30 minutes. The flight landed at Cúcuta at 12:28 local time. At 13:06, the pilot requested clearance to start, but he was told there was a 10-minute delay because of three incoming aircraft. The crew immediately requested clearance for a climb on course ("Why not clear us to climb on course to avoid delaying this flight further? We're: pretty far behind") and the tower granted their request at 13:08: "OK, cleared for engine start, climb on course VMC, report ready to taxi, temperature 28°". This, added to the anomalous presence in the cockpit of another pilot whose loquaciousness continually disrupted the work of all the crew members, affected the way in which the pilot supervised the actions of his co-pilot, who was Pilot Flying. There was no crew briefing, nor did the pilot-in command give any instructions for the VMC departure. Two minutes later the tower controller instructed them to taxi to runway 33. At 13:12 the tower reported, "Cleared to Cartagena via Uniform Whisky 19, Whisky 7, Whisky 10, climb and maintain two six zero after takeoff, climb on course VMC, QNH ....correction transponder Alpha 2216". Take-off clearance was issued at 13:13. The initial climb path followed the extended runway centre line to the inner marker, at which point the aircraft entered a continuous left turn. At 13:17 the pilot said to the copilot, "In any case, start turning right." Subsequently the aircraft struck the peak of El Espartillo at an elevation of 6,343 feet.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the following active and passive factors:
1. Active:
A. Personnel factors - Pilot-in-command - Procedures, Regulations and instructions
a) Diverted attention from operation of aircraft and failed to exercise adequate and constant supervision over the performance of his co-pilot;
b) Tolerated inappropriate interference with cockpit discipline by authorized persons with access to the flight deck;
c) Continued VFR flight into IMC.
B. Personnel factor - Non-crew pilot in cockpit - Procedures, regulations and instructions
Interfered constantly with the normal operation of the aircraft, distracting the crew from the efficient execution of their duties.
2. Passive
A. Personnel factor- Crew- Procedures, regulations and instructions: lack of teamwork on the part of the crew, reflected in the failure to coordinate the instructions needed to take off and climb out in VMC using a profile established in accordance with the specific conditions.
B. Other factors - Meeting the schedule: The delays resulting from the change of aircraft for mechanical reasons contributed to the decision by the pilot-in-command to give inappropriate support to company priorities and request to depart, rather than waiting as recommended by the Control Tower, in order to avoid adding to the delays already experienced."
Subscribe to Colombia