ASN Aircraft accident Fairchild FH-227E HC-AYM Cerro El Tigre
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Thursday 17 January 2002
Time:11:01
Type:Silhouette image of generic F27 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Fairchild FH-227E
Operator:Petroproduccion - Unidad de Aviacion
Registration: HC-AYM
MSN: 511
First flight: 1966
Total airframe hrs:29154
Cycles:45178
Engines: 2 Rolls-Royce Dart 532-7L
Crew:Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:Fatalities: 21 / Occupants: 21
Total:Fatalities: 26 / Occupants: 26
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Cerro El Tigre (   Colombia)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO/SEQU), Ecuador
Destination airport:Lago Agrio Airport (LGQ/SELA), Ecuador
Narrative:
The FH-227 departed Quito at 10:38 for a 37-minute flight to fly workers to an oil site in the Amazon jungle. The VFR flight was conducted at an altitude of 15,500 feet. At 10:50 the crew contacted the Nueva Loja Tower at Lago Agrio and reported near Olmedo. The Tower controller reported that runway 23 was in use and that the weather included a 6 knot wind at 020 degrees, temperature 29 degrees. The crew were then to have turned from 064 to 094 degrees, direct to Lago Agrio. They failed to do so and continued their present heading. After reporting 50 miles out at 10:59, they were cleared to descend. This was the last contact with the flight. The crew continued their descent until the airplane flew into the fog-shrouded side of El Tigre Mountain at an elevation of 11,916 feet.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE (translated from Spanish): "The Accident Investigative Board estimates that the probable cause of the accident was LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS by the crew, since their attention was focused on aspects that were not related to the flight being executed and therefore neglecting the primary function of flight which is the control of the aircraft and decision making.
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
- Crew failure to maintain a sterile cockpit
- The continuous distraction of the crew throughout the flight
- The lack of technical documentation in the CIA that supports the operation.
- Lack of crew training in CRM, human factors and CFIT
- The weather conditions at the time of the accident on Mount El Tigre made it impossible for the crew to see the mountain.
- The lack of defence systems on the aircraft (GPWS ground proximity warning system)

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: DGAC Ecuador
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years and 8 months
Accident number: final report
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain

Sources:
» El Universo
» NTSB


Photos

photo of Fairchild-FH-227E-HC-AYM
accident date: 17-01-2002
type: Fairchild FH-227E
registration: HC-AYM
 

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 Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport to Lago Agrio Airport as the crow flies is 181 km (113 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.
languages: languages

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Fairchild FH-227

  • 78 built
  • 24th loss
  • 15th fatal accident
  • 8th worst accident
» safety profile

 Colombia
  • 32nd worst accident (at the time)
  • 34th worst accident (currently)
» safety profile

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