Investigation Summary
The Colombian Air Force set out the chronology through Gen. Silva on 24 March 2026: departure from Bogota at 07:02, arrival at Puerto Leguizamo at 08:23, and the accident at 09:41 after a normal initial climb followed by a descending turn, with impact about 1.8 km from the runway. Comunicado 004/2026 gives 69 killed and 57 injured of 126 aboard. The preliminary findings presented on 26 May 2026 record a tree strike about four seconds after takeoff, with the loss of power on engines 1 and 2 following from that impact, and state the aircraft was 100% airworthy with no restrictive maintenance notes. Senate testimony in April 2026 ruled out an overweight takeoff: the aircraft weighed 133,000 lb against 139,000 lb permitted. The airframe was built in 1983 and had about 13,500 flight hours. The Ministry of Defence clarified that explosions after the crash were transported ammunition cooking off, not an attack, and on 9 April 2026 the FAC confirmed the aircraft carried no valid insurance. Recorder recovery on 25 March was reported by media rather than announced by the FAC. Hypothesis lists circulated in the press - mechanical failure, crew error, overloading - are journalistic synthesis and are contradicted on two of their three limbs by the FAC's own record. The investigation is open, is described as focused on human factors, and has no final-report deadline.
Final Conclusions
No final report. The most recent official statement is the FAC's preliminary findings of 26 May 2026: a tree strike about four seconds after takeoff, with engines 1 and 2 losing power as a consequence, on an aircraft the FAC described as fully airworthy. The investigation continues with no stated deadline.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Allison T56 Turboprop Engines
The aircraft was powered by four T56 turboprops. No findings about their condition have been published.
Flight Recorders
Both the CVR and FDR were recovered. No readout has been published.
Interesting Facts
- 01The airframe was built in 1983 and had about 13,500 flight hours (FAC).
- 02An overweight takeoff was ruled out in Senate testimony in April 2026: 133,000 lb against 139,000 lb permitted.
- 03The FAC described the aircraft as 100% airworthy with no restrictive maintenance notes.
- 04The Ministry of Defence clarified that post-crash explosions were transported ammunition cooking off, not an attack.
- 05The FAC confirmed on 9 April 2026 that the aircraft lacked valid insurance.
- 06The 25 March recorder recovery date comes from media reporting, not from an FAC statement.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Fleet Modernization Review
President Petro ordered an acceleration of military fleet modernization, threatening to remove officials who cause bureaucratic delays in replacing aging equipment.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Press hypothesis lists
Reference ↗Reporting, including The City Paper Bogota, listed mechanical failure, crew error and overloading as preliminary hypotheses. That list is journalistic synthesis rather than an investigation position, and the FAC record contradicts two of its three limbs: the aircraft was described as fully airworthy, and the takeoff weight was below the permitted maximum.
Location
ACCIDENT SITE · Coordinates taken from the wikidata coordinate.