Date & Time:
Feb 13, 2003 at 0843 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Operator:
One Leasing
Registration:
N1116G
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogotá - Florencia
MSN:
208B-0402
YOM:
1994
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was completing a survey flight over the Florencia area on behalf of the US Government, carrying four US citizens and one Colombian taking part to an anti-narcotic program. Eight minutes prior to its arrival in Floriencia, while cruising at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the aircraft suffered an engine failure. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed on the slope of a mountain located near El Para, bursting into flames. All five occupants survived the accident but when FARC soldiers arrived on the scene, they shot down both pilots and captured all three other occupants. The bodies of both pilots were repatriated to the US few days later while the three hostages were released more than five years later in July 2008.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the engine failed after the turbine overheated in flight.
