Investigation Summary
The accident sequence began on the morning of December 14, 1983, when the Boeing 707 was scheduled for a routine cargo flight to Miami. During the initial takeoff roll, the number 4 (outer right) engine ingested foreign objects, forcing the crew to abort and return to the ramp. After an inspection, mechanics determined the engine required repairs that could not be performed locally. The decision was made to ferry the aircraft to Miami with the number 4 engine inoperative (idle). To reduce weight for the three-engine ferry flight, the cargo was unloaded. Approximately eight hours after the initial incident, the crew attempted the ferry takeoff. During this critical phase, the number 3 (inner right) engine also failed. With both engines on the right wing providing no thrust, the aircraft suffered a severe asymmetrical thrust condition. The Boeing 707 banked sharply to the right and crashed into a factory building in Medellín, resulting in a high number of ground casualties.
Final Conclusions
The crash was caused by a dual engine failure on the right wing during a ferry flight. The number 4 engine was already known to be inoperative due to foreign object damage from a previous takeoff attempt. The subsequent failure of the number 3 engine during the ferry takeoff left the aircraft with insufficient power and uncontrollable asymmetry, leading to a stall and impact with ground structures.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Pratt & Whitney JT3D Engines
The aircraft was equipped with four engines; the failure of both engines on the right side (No. 3 and No. 4) created an unmanageable thrust asymmetry.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a 20-year-old Boeing 707-373C that had previously served with World Airways, Britannia Airways, and British Caledonian.
- 02In 1976, the aircraft was leased to Singapore Airlines for a period of two months.
- 03The accident resulted in 22 ground fatalities, significantly outnumbering the flight crew fatalities.
- 04The flight was being operated as a ferry flight specifically because of existing engine damage.
- 0515 people on the ground sustained injuries in the crash.
- 06The aircraft's manufacturing serial number (MSN) was 18707/349.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Ferry Flight Regulatory Oversight
The accident highlighted the extreme risks associated with three-engine ferry flights on four-engine aircraft, particularly from high-altitude airports like Medellín. Regulatory bodies reinforced that such flights must be conducted under strict weight limitations and only when essential for maintenance that cannot be performed on-site.
Location
APPROXIMATE POSITION · AIRPORT LEVEL · Coordinates are the reference point of the airport named in the location, not the point of impact. The ring shows the accuracy the record supports, not the point of impact.