Investigation Summary
The aircraft, named 'Ciudad de Loja', was the only Boeing 737 in TAME's fleet at the time. Manufactured in 1981 (serial number 22607), it had been delivered new to the airline in October 1981 and was approximately two years old at the time of the accident. The captain was a retired Air Force General with significant experience in turboprops but relatively low experience on the Boeing 737 jet. On the morning of the accident, the crew encountered patches of ground fog near Mariscal Lamar International Airport. Although air traffic control cleared them for a standard instrument approach to runway 23, the pilots decided to perform a visual approach after spotting the runway near the El Tablon VOR. As they descended, the aircraft entered a cloud layer, obscuring the terrain. The First Officer suggested a descent to 8,700 feet, which was significantly below the sector's minimum safe altitude of 9,500 feet. The high rate of descent (1,500 ft/min) and the crew's failure to react to 'Pull Up' warnings from the GPWS led to the impact at 8,548 feet elevation.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the primary cause was pilot error resulting in Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). Contributing factors included the crew's lack of experience with the Boeing 737, poor cockpit resource management, and the decision to continue a rapid descent below minimum safe altitudes while ignoring automated terrain warnings. The crew's focus on regaining visual contact with the ground led them to lose situational awareness regarding their actual altitude relative to the surrounding mountainous terrain.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
WHAT went WRONG with this BOEING 737 of TAME AIRLINES? | 1983 TAME AIRLINES Crash — A detailed look at the deadliest air crash in Ecuador's history, involving a TAME Boeing 737-200 that crashed into a hill during approach to Cuenca in 1983.
Watch on YouTube ↗If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Systems & Failure Modes
GPWS
The Ground Proximity Warning System provided 'Pull Up' alerts which were ignored by the flight crew during the final descent.
VOR (El Tablón)
The navigational beacon used by the crew to transition from the en-route phase to the approach phase.
Interesting Facts
- 01This is the deadliest aviation accident to ever occur on Ecuadorian soil.
- 02The aircraft involved was the only Boeing 737 ever operated by TAME at that time.
- 03The Captain was Jorge Leonardo Peña Terán, a former Commander of the Ecuadorian Air Force.
- 04The aircraft struck the ridge with its tail first before crashing into the hillside.
- 05The flight was carrying 103 Ecuadorians, 11 Colombians, and 5 Americans.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Crew Training Review
The accident highlighted the need for better transition training for pilots moving from older turboprop aircraft to modern jet airliners like the Boeing 737.
GPWS Compliance
The investigation reinforced the critical importance of immediate pilot response to GPWS warnings, regardless of visual cues.