RJ85, vicinity Medellín International (Rionegro) Colombia, 2016

RJ85, vicinity Medellín International (Rionegro) Colombia, 2016

Summary

On 29 November 2016, a BAe Avro RJ85 failed to complete its night charter flight to Medellín (Rionegro) when all engines stopped due to fuel exhaustion and it crashed in mountainous terrain 10 nm from its intended destination killing almost all occupants. The Investigation noted the complete disregard by the aircraft commander of procedures essential for safe flight by knowingly departing with significantly less fuel onboard than required for the intended flight and with no apparent intention to refuel en route. It found that this situation arose in a context of a generally unsafe operation subject to inadequate regulatory oversight.

Description

On 29 November 2016, a BAe Avro RJ85 (CP 2933) being operated by LaMia Airlines on an international passenger charter flight from Santa Cruz (Viru Viru), Bolivia to Medellín International (Rionegro), Colombia as LME 2339 declared a fuel related emergency shortly after encountering a traffic-related delay to its approach at destination. As ATC prioritised its approach from the south to runway 01 in night IMC, contact was lost and the aircraft was subsequently discovered to have crashed into terrain which was almost 1,500 feet higher than the altitude of the airport 10nm further south. There was no fire but the aircraft was destroyed and 71 of the 77 occupants were killed, 5 sustained serious injuries and one was documented as “unharmed/minor injury”. Three of the four operating crew members, including both pilots, were amongst those killed and the surviving member of the cabin crew was one of those seriously injured.

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