Date & Time:
Feb 10, 1991 at 1140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-118 Liftmaster
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1702
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bogotá – Arauca
MSN:
44670
YOM:
1955
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
80
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was chartered by the Colombian Army to transfer 80 soldiers from Bogotá to Arauca. They were seating on the cabin floor with their equipment. In the morning, the crew encountered technical problems after takeoff from Bogotá Airport and was forced to return. After repairs were completed, the aircraft departed again before noon. During initial climb, the engine n°1 caught fire. The crew declared an emergency and was cleared to return when the fire spread to the engine n°2. The captain realized he could not reach the airport so he attempted an emergency landing in a pasture located 16 km from the airfield. The aircraft belly landed and slid for about 400 meters before coming to rest, bursting into flames. All 85 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Failure and explosion of engine n°1 for unknown reasons.
