
Narrative:
A DC-3 cargo plane operated by ALIANSA Colombia was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain north of San Vicente del Caguán, Colombia. All occupants sustained fatal injuries.
The aircraft, HK-4700, operated on a non-scheduled cargo flight from Villavicencio (VVC) to Florencia (FLA). The takeoff weight was 11,430 kg which included a cargo of 2540 kg. A VFR flight plane was filed with an en route altitude of 6500 feet.
Takeoff was accomplished at 11:15 hours local time. Last radio contact with the flight was at 11:44 hours when the crew reported abeam Uribe. As the flight progressed, visibility deteriorated due to clouds and the crew had difficulty maintaining visual flight. The airplane deviated to the west of the planned route in order to remain visual. This took the flight over mountains with an elevation higher than the en route altitude of the aircraft. After losing visual contact with the ground, the airplane impacted the wooded side of a mountain at about 6500 feet.
Probable Causes (translated from Spanish)
Failure in evaluating the hazards and risks in the flight planning and decision making related to the execution of a VFR flight between the cities of Villavicencio and Florencia, without verifying the area's minimum altitudes.
Untimely interruption of a flight in VFR conditions that resulted in an unexpected flight in IMC.
Loss of situational awareness after continueing the flight in adverse weather conditions that resulted in an impact against mountainous terrain.
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
accident date: 08-05-2014
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: HK-4700
accident date: 08-05-2014
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: HK-4700
accident date: 08-05-2014
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: HK-4700
accident date: 08-05-2014
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: N47FK
accident date: 08-05-2014
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: N47FK
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Thursday 8 May 2014 |
| Time: | 12:02 |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-3C |
| Operator: | ALIANSA Colombia |
| Registration: | HK-4700 |
| MSN: | 9700 |
| First flight: | 1943 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 27771 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 45 km (28.1 mls) N of San Vicente del Caguán ( Colombia)
|
| Crash site elevation: | 1981 m (6499 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Villavicencio-La Vanguardia Airport (VVC/SKVV), Colombia |
| Florencia Airport (FLA/SKFL), Colombia |
A DC-3 cargo plane operated by ALIANSA Colombia was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain north of San Vicente del Caguán, Colombia. All occupants sustained fatal injuries.
The aircraft, HK-4700, operated on a non-scheduled cargo flight from Villavicencio (VVC) to Florencia (FLA). The takeoff weight was 11,430 kg which included a cargo of 2540 kg. A VFR flight plane was filed with an en route altitude of 6500 feet.
Takeoff was accomplished at 11:15 hours local time. Last radio contact with the flight was at 11:44 hours when the crew reported abeam Uribe. As the flight progressed, visibility deteriorated due to clouds and the crew had difficulty maintaining visual flight. The airplane deviated to the west of the planned route in order to remain visual. This took the flight over mountains with an elevation higher than the en route altitude of the aircraft. After losing visual contact with the ground, the airplane impacted the wooded side of a mountain at about 6500 feet.
Probable Cause:
Probable Causes (translated from Spanish)
Failure in evaluating the hazards and risks in the flight planning and decision making related to the execution of a VFR flight between the cities of Villavicencio and Florencia, without verifying the area's minimum altitudes.
Untimely interruption of a flight in VFR conditions that resulted in an unexpected flight in IMC.
Loss of situational awareness after continueing the flight in adverse weather conditions that resulted in an impact against mountainous terrain.
Accident investigation:

 |
|
Classification:
VFR flight in IMC Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» Colombian Air ForcePhotos
accident date: 08-05-2014
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: HK-4700
accident date: 08-05-2014
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: HK-4700
accident date: 08-05-2014
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: HK-4700
accident date: 08-05-2014
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: N47FK
accident date: 08-05-2014
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: N47FK
Video, social media
.@FuerzaAereaCol lidera operación búsqueda y rescate aeronave accidentada en #Meta pic.twitter.com/tBueSTQptO @GobMeta @FuerzasMilCol
— Mindefensa Colombia (@mindefensa) May 9, 2014Aircraft history
| date | registration | operator | remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 JUN 1943 | 42-23838 | USAAF | delivered |
| 13 JUN 1946 | NC49538 | flying for a.o. Mt. McKinley Air Freight and Proctor & Gamble | |
| 12 FEB 1951 | N3W | Proctor & Gamble | new registration |
| 14 JAN 1954 | N3PG | Proctor & Gamble | new registration |
| 12 FEB 1969 | N308FN | flying for a.o. First National Stores | |
| 29 JUL 1973 | CF-EEX | flying for a.o. Golfe Air Quebec | |
| OCT 1979 | C-FEEX | flying for a.o. Air Gava | |
| 26 MAY 1982 | N2669A | Century Airlines | bought |
| 02 JUL 1992 | EC-187 | Aeromarket/ARM | bought |
| 03 AUG 1992 | EC-FNS | Aeromarket/ARM | new registration |
| 22 SEP 1998 | N47FK | flying out of U.K. for a.o. South Coast Airways | |
| 12 APR 2010 | HK-4700 | LASER Aéro Colombia | bought |
| 06 NOV 2010 | HK-4700 | LASER Aéro Colombia | ran into a trench Guerima Airport; damaged |
| HK-4700 | ALIANSA |
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Villavicencio-La Vanguardia Airport to Florencia Airport as the crow flies is 358 km (223 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
Distance from Villavicencio-La Vanguardia Airport to Florencia Airport as the crow flies is 358 km (223 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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