Pereira-Matecaña | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Following an uneventful flight from Pereira, the twin engine airplane was cleared to land on Bogotá-El Dorado Airport Runway 13L. Apparently, the aircraft bounced three times before landing firmly. After touchdown, it went out of control, veered off runway, lost its nose gear and came to rest in a grassy area. All 11 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Among the passengers was Juan Fernando Cristo, Minister for Internal Affairs.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo near Sasaima: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 29, 2000 at 1855 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Oscar Osorio Ramírez

Registration:

HK-2644-P

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Pereira – Bogotá

MSN:

31-8112044

YOM:

1981

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5066

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1822

Aircraft flight hours:

2869

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Pereira-Macareña Airport in the afternoon on a flight to Bogotá-El Dorado Airport, carrying six passengers and two pilots. The flight was completed at an altitude of 15,000 feet and the crew was eventually cleared to start the descent to Bogotá for an approach to runway 13R. Shortly later, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a wooded area located near Sasaima, about 42 km northwest of Bogotá Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all eight occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of a double engine failure in flight due to a fuel exhaustion. At the time of the accident, all tanks were empty and the crew failed to calculate properly the fuel consumption, and the fuel quantity for the last leg from Pereira to Bogotá was insufficient. The aircraft was completing a series of flight since Octobre 26.

Final Report:

Crash of a Basler BT-67 near Pueblo Rico: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 2000

Type of aircraft:

Basler BT-67

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-1659

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Apiay - Pereira

MSN:

16236/32984

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Apiay AFB on a flight to Pereira, carrying seven crew members who were taking part to a supply mission to ground troops fighting FARC soldiers who attacked communications relays. While cruising at an altitude of 11,200 feet in poor weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Montezuma located about 5 km northwest of Pueblo Rico. All seven occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland Dash-8-301 in Pereira

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1997 at 2000 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-8-300 (Dash-8)

Operator:

Registration:

HK-4062X

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

San Andrés – Bogotá – Pereira

MSN:

196

YOM:

1990

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following a normal approach and landing, the crew started the braking procedure. After a course of about 700 metres, the undercarriage slowly retracted. The aircraft came to rest on its belly and was damaged beyond repair. All 44 occupants escaped uninjured.

Crash of a Cessna 500 Citation I near La Felisa: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1997 at 0934 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 500 Citation

Operator:

Aerotaxi del Oriente

Registration:

HK-3885

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Pereira - Medellín

MSN:

500-0135

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3048

Copilot / Total flying hours:

173

Aircraft flight hours:

6274

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Pereira-Matecaña Airport, while climbing, the copilot declared an emergency and reported problems. Shortly later, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near La Felisa. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

In-flight braking and subsequent separation of both wing tips due to positive wing loading imposed by the unqualified crew exceeding the structural limit stipulated by the manufacturer.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando in Barrancabermeja: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Joanne Fashions

Registration:

N10427

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Barranquilla - Pereira

MSN:

30532

YOM:

1944

Location:

Barrancabermeja-Yariguíes

Santander

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Barranquilla to Pereira on a cargo flight, the crew informed ATC about the failure of the left engine and was cleared to divert to Barrancabermeja-Yariguíes Airport for an emergency landing. On approach, while completing a last turn to the side of the dead engine, the crew lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in a field located 3 km from the runway 03 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine caused by a hydraulic leak. The loss of control was caused by an aerodynamic stall consecutive to an insufficient speed while making a sharp turn to the side of the dead engine at a relative low height and with a heavily loaded aircraft.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK in Facatativá: 28 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1964 at 1845 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

HK-862

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Pereira – Bogotá

MSN:

12374

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The DC-3 took off from Pereira at 17:24 for a flight to Bogotá, via reporting points El Paso, Girardot and La Esperanza. The aircraft arrived overhear La Esperanza at 18:18 and was instructed to hold there at FL130. The flight was cleared to leave the intersection at 18:33 to the Bogotá VOR. The crew estimated to arrive over the Bogotá VOR at 18:44 and were then instructed to descend to FL120 for an ADF approach to Bogotá Airport, reporting at the Bogotá VOR at FL120 and over the outer marker at 9800 feet. The plane arrived abeam the Bogotá VOR ahead of schedule, at 18:41, and was instructed to maintain FL120 until 18:44. At 18:42 the flight crew reported seeing another aircraft in their vicinity. They thought it to be a DC-4, but was actually a Curtiss C-46 which had been cleared for final approach. The DC-3 crew took evasive action, losing control of the aircraft. The DC-3 crashed near Facatativá.

Probable cause:

The pilot of the aircraft in observing the presence of another aircraft abruptly initiated a right turn which ended in an abnormal 'nose below the horizon' attitude, which he was unable to rectify in time. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Error of other personnel: The pilot of the other aircraft initiated the instrument descent from 12,000 feet after 2 min 55 sec, when the normal time would have been 1 min 15 or 20 sec, in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Bogotá approach-to-land chart and the Manual of Colombian Air Routes approved by the Administrative Directorate of Civil Aeronautics, thereby creating a risk of collision in the air;
- The pilot of the subject aircraft had been flying on DC-4s and C-46s as well as DC-3s. The psychological reaction of the pilot at a critical moment was certainly affected by habits acquired on DC-4 and C-46 aircraft.
- Possible failure of equipment (faulty distribution of flight instruments in the cockpit): This is a design effect, since the artificial horizon in the subject type of aircraft was hidden behind the pilot's control column, which made it more difficult to control the flight posture of the machine.