Investigation Summary
The aircraft was being ferried from Caracas to Latacunga following a period of storage, reportedly for delivery to a new Ecuadorian operator. During the descent, the crew initially briefed 'Descenso 5' (a straight-in approach), but the controller cleared them for 'Descenso 4', which required a procedure turn. The crew was surprised by this change and briefed the new procedure while already descending. The aircraft passed the Latacunga VOR at 210 knots in a clean configuration, whereas technical procedures required Flaps 5. During the turn, the aircraft accelerated to 225 knots and maintained a bank angle of only 22 degrees. These factors, combined with a significant tailwind, caused the aircraft to overshoot the protected area, reaching 7 nautical miles west of the VOR instead of the required 4 nautical miles. Although the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) sounded for 22 seconds and the crew attempted to climb at high power, the aircraft struck the volcano at an elevation of 13,100 feet. Technical records for the airframe contain significant discrepancies. The top-level airframe_hours (60,117) and airframe_cycles (52,091) used in this file reflect the figures maintained by the Aviation Safety Network and BAAA. However, the official DGAC report cited 51,540 hours and 59,682 cycles. Investigators noted they were unable to fully verify any of these figures due to missing maintenance logs.
Final Conclusions
The DGAC Ecuador released its final report on May 14, 2010, concluding that the probable cause was the flight crew's non-observance of technical procedures, configuration, speed, and bank angle required for the initial turn of Instrument Approach Procedure Number 4. This failure placed the aircraft outside the protected airspace and into mountainous terrain. Contributing factors included the crew's ignorance of the local topography and a lack of airline documentation regarding operations at non-scheduled or special airports.
Video Analysis
The Conviasa Flight That Flew Into a Volcano — A detailed look at the 2008 Conviasa Boeing 737 crash in Ecuador, examining how a series of procedural errors led a ferry flight into the side of the Illiniza Volcano.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Male, age 32. Instructor for B737-200/300.
First Officer
Male, age 48.
Systems & Failure Modes
GPWS
The Ground Proximity Warning System functioned correctly, providing 22 seconds of continuous alerts before impact.
Autopilot
The crew was observed selecting 13,000 feet into the autopilot altitude window shortly after passing the VOR.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Boeing 737-200 originally delivered to Frontier Airlines in 1978.
- 02The captain had previously mistakenly landed at Ambato instead of Latacunga in 1999.
- 03The GPWS alert sounded for 22 seconds prior to the impact.
- 04Both engines were operating at high power at the moment of impact, indicating a late attempt to climb.
- 05The aircraft was 7 nautical miles west of the VOR at the time of the turn, exceeding the 4-nautical-mile safety limit.
- 06The aircraft impacted the side of the Illiniza Volcano at 13,100 feet (3,992 meters) at coordinates 0°39′34″S 78°42′49″W.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Special Airport Procedures
Source ↗The investigation highlighted the need for airlines to maintain specific documentation and procedures for flights to non-scheduled or 'special' airports, particularly those in high-altitude mountainous terrain like Latacunga.
Crew Terrain Awareness
The DGAC emphasized the importance of crew familiarity with local topography and strict adherence to published instrument approach procedures to remain within protected airspace.