Date & Time:
May 3, 1995 at 2345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Gulfstream GII
Operator:
Registration:
N409MA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – La Paz – Quito
MSN:
83
YOM:
1970
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
5
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total hours on type:
105
Copilot / Total hours on type:
105
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Buenos Aires to Quito with an intermediate stop in La Paz, carrying five passengers and two pilots. The descent to Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport was initiated by night and good weather conditions. While descending to the altitude of 16,000 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Sincholagua (4,899 metres high) located about 45 km southeast of Quito. The wreckage was found the following morning and all seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew selected the wrong frequency, using Condorcocha VOR instead of the Monjas VOR. This caused the aircraft to follow a wrong pattern for the approach to Quito Airport. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The crew was not familiar with the region of Quito,
- The crew's experience on this type of aircraft was limited,
- Crew fatigue,
- The crew had a private conversation that was not in accordance with flight rules,
- The crew failed to proceed to appropriate controls during the descent,
- Poor approach planning.
- The crew was not familiar with the region of Quito,
- The crew's experience on this type of aircraft was limited,
- Crew fatigue,
- The crew had a private conversation that was not in accordance with flight rules,
- The crew failed to proceed to appropriate controls during the descent,
- Poor approach planning.
