Date & Time: Jan 20, 1976 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 748
Operator:
Registration:
FAE683
Flight Phase:
Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Loja - Guayaquil
MSN:
1683
YOM:
1970
Location:
Loja
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
28
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
34
Circumstances:
Ten minutes after takeoff from Loja Airport, while cruising over mountains terrain at an altitude of 10,000 feet in good weather conditions, the airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed on the mountain. Eight passengers were seriously injured while 34 other occupants were killed. The airplane had a dual registration FAE683 and HC-AUE.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of altitude and the subsequent collision with ground was the consequence of orographic currents encountered over the mountainous area.