Investigation Summary
The flight departed San Pedro Sula at 07:04 local time for a scheduled 40-minute flight. Upon reaching the Tegucigalpa area, the crew initially attempted a VOR/DME approach to runway 20 but discontinued it at 07:51, opting for an approach to the opposite runway 02. During this second attempt, the cockpit voice recorder captured the crew discussing conflicting indications from their navigation instruments. Despite these discrepancies, the crew reported being on final approach at 08:00. The aircraft was prematurely configured with full flaps (42 degrees) while still far from the runway, significantly increasing drag and reducing the margin for error. At an altitude of approximately 5,400 feet, the aircraft encountered conditions conducive to wind shear. Because the pilots were maintaining a speed only marginally above the stall threshold, the aircraft entered a stall from which the crew could not recover. The event is classified as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) because the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) issued 'five hundred', 'minimums', and 'terrain, pull up' alerts, but the crew failed to take any recorded corrective action before the impact.
Final Conclusions
The Honduran Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC) concluded that the primary cause was the crew's failure to adhere to published approach procedures and inadequate crew resource management. Contributing factors included the premature extension of full flaps, which left the aircraft vulnerable to wind shear, and the possible misinterpretation of flight instruments. The investigation also highlighted that the Captain did not consult approach charts during the descent and failed to conduct approach briefings for either attempt. The presence of wind shear and mountain waves at the time of the accident acted as the immediate catalyst for the stall.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Oscar Anderson, age 57
First Officer
Eduardo Fash, age 42
Systems & Failure Modes
Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS)
The system provided 'minimums' and 'terrain, pull up' warnings, but the crew did not react to these alerts before impact.
Flap System
The aircraft was configured with full flaps (position 42) at a long distance from the runway, which increased drag and reduced the aircraft's ability to respond to wind shear.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft's serial number (MSN) was 912603.
- 02The aircraft was approximately 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) from the runway when it stalled.
- 03The crew configured the aircraft with full flaps (42 degrees) prematurely during the approach.
- 04Meteorological reports indicated wind shear and mountain wave activity in the area.
- 05The crash site was located at an elevation of 5,412 feet, significantly higher than the airport elevation of 3,300 feet.
- 06Victims included the Honduran Economy Minister and the Assistant Secretary of Public Works.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Airport Relocation Proposal
Following the accident, the President of Honduras called for the relocation of Tegucigalpa's commercial operations to Comayagua due to the dangerous terrain surrounding Toncontín International Airport.