Investigation Summary
The flight was transporting Bolivian military personnel and their families back to La Paz following a weekend at the Armed Forces Recreation Center in Tomonoco. The investigation into the disaster was hampered by the remote, heavily forested crash site and the lack of a current passenger manifest; the only available list was four days old and showed significantly fewer passengers than were actually on board. The aircraft was attempting to reach El Alto Airport, which at 12,000 feet is one of the highest commercial airports in the world, requiring significant engine performance. With 19 more people than the aircraft's seating capacity, the Convair was grossly overloaded, which likely prevented it from maintaining the necessary rate of climb to clear the semi-mountainous terrain after experiencing power issues.
Final Conclusions
The crash is officially attributed to insufficient altitude resulting from gross overloading of the aircraft. The Convair CV-440-12 was carrying 67 people despite having only 48 seats. While the pilot reported a loss of power, the excessive weight is considered the primary factor that prevented the aircraft from clearing the terrain. Although the Bolivian Air Force (BAF) initiated an investigation, it never progressed to a credible official report. The aftermath was criticized by relatives for a lack of transparency, as families were provided with nailed-down coffins and a flat compensation of $1,000.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Weight and Balance
The aircraft exceeded its maximum takeoff weight and seating capacity, which critically degraded its climb performance, especially in the high-density altitude environment of the Bolivian Andes.
Powerplant
The pilot reported a loss of power shortly before the crash, though it is unclear if this was a mechanical failure or an inability to produce sufficient thrust for the overloaded weight.
Interesting Facts
- 01This is the deadliest accident involving the Convair CV-240 family of aircraft.
- 02The aircraft was configured with 48 seats but was carrying 67 people at the time of the crash.
- 03The destination, El Alto Airport, is located at an elevation of approximately 12,000 feet.
- 04The passenger manifest was outdated, initially leading to confusion regarding the number of souls on board.
- 05The crash site was located in a section of the Andes known for deep chasms and steep, forested mountainsides.
- 06The aircraft involved (MSN 328) was 19 years old at the time of the accident, having been manufactured in 1956.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Passenger Manifest Protocols
The investigation highlighted the failure to maintain accurate passenger manifests, as the only available list was four days old.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Speculation of In-flight Explosion
Reference ↗Due to the wide distribution of debris, early reports and newspapers speculated the aircraft might have exploded in mid-air, possibly due to political motives, though this was not supported by the final determination of overloading.