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Crash of a Boeing 727-23F in Leticia: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 2006 at 2107 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-3667X
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bogotá – Leticia
MSN:
19430
YOM:
1966
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total flying hours:
8036
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6617
Aircraft flight hours:
66192
Circumstances:
The Boeing 727 departed Bogotá-El Dorado Airport on a night cargo flight to Leticia, carrying 3 passengers, 3 crew members and a load of 13,166 kilos of fish. While descending to Leticia-Alfredo Vásquez Cobo Airport, the crew was informed about the weather conditions at destination with a visibility down to 4 km with local patches of fog. On approach, the crew asked ATC to improve the runway lights intensity as the runway 21 is not equipped with approach lights. On short final, at a height of about 150 feet, the aircraft collided with a television antenna and crashed in a wooded area located 3,7 km short of runway 21, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Following a flight under IFR mode, the crew decided to continue the approach by night and limited visibility under VFR mode, without meeting the minimum requirements for this type of operation. This decision led the aircraft descending at an unsafe altitude until it collided with a television antenna and crashed. The following contributing factors were identified:
- Poor approach planning,
- Poor judgment,
- Violation of IFR procedures,
- The crew's inability to circumvent the obstacle on the ground by encountering unforeseen circumstances beyond their capacity.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-32 in Leticia

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1998 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-4007X
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leticia - Girardot
MSN:
3303
YOM:
1992
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1210
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Leticia to Girardot, carrying three passengers, three crew members and a load of five tons of fish. During the takeoff roll at Leticia-Alfredo Vásquez Cobo Airport runway 20, at Vr speed, the pilot-in-command started the rotation but the aircraft failed to respond. In such conditions, the captain decided to abort and initiated an emergency braking procedure. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and came to rest 80 metres further. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the total weight of the aircraft was 532 kilos above MTOW. Also, the CofG was beyond the forward limit.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B near Leticia: 80 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1985 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-902
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Leticia - Bogotá
MSN:
45067
YOM:
1956
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
76
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
80
Circumstances:
Some aircraft operated by the Colombian Air Force were requisitioned to carry out regular schedule flights on behalf of Avianca because their pilots were striking. Few minutes after takeoff from Leticia-Alfredo Vásquez Cobo Airport, the pilot declared an emergency after the engine n°3 caught fire. While returning, fire spread to the right wing and the airplane went out of control and crashed in a jungle located 32 km north of the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 80 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the n°3 engine for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando in Leticia

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
HK-791
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
26805
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown, a tyre burst. The airplane veered off runway and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Loss of control after a tyre burst upon landing.