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were fulfilled 20 years after the plane crash of a Boeing 727-100 from Tame in the Cumbal Volcano in Colombia, during approach to tulcan. Photo by Werner Fischdick – ASN
It was the 10:24 am on a monday 28 of January of 2002 when the boeing 727-134 registration HC-BLF had an accident in Colombia while making the regular route to Tulcán with final destination Cali.
Today we review the facts and the result of the investigation of this unfortunate plane crash of an Ecuadorian airline in Colombian airspace thanks to information from Aviation Safety Network and Aerocivil.
Boeing plane crash 727 of Tame in the Cumbal
The flight took off at 10:01 from Quito along the track 17 under normalized output 8 towards the Monjas Sur VOR and subsequently intercept the G-675 airway, maintaining 18.000 pies.
A 29 miles from the NDB of Tulcán, the instructor pilot requested descent to 14.000 feet in contact with the Tulcán control tower. Subsequently, the pilot reported the start of the holding pattern to start the approach.
This communication was at 10:23 local time, the pilot reported that they were about to start the approach turn, this being the last communication of the aircraft with the tower.
The approach procedure required a speed of 180 knots, but the actual speed was much higher than 230 knots during descent and approach. The aircraft was found in an accident on the Nevado El Cumbal Volcano at a height of 14.700 pies, no survivors.
Final report
There is the final report of this accident that you can read here, where all the facts of the same are detailed.
| state: | Final |
| Date: | Monday 28 January 2002 |
| Hour: | 10:24 |
| Type: |  Boeing 727-134 |
| Operator: | TAME Ecuador |
| Registration: | HC-BLF |
| Serial number: | 19692/498 |
| Year of construction: | 1967-11-20 (34 years 3 months) |
| Total Cell Hours: | 64001 |
| cycles: | 49819 |
| engines: | 3 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9A |
| Crew: | fatalities: 7 / occupants: 7 |
| passengers: | fatalities: 87 / occupants: 87 |
| Total: | fatalities: 94 / occupants: 94 |
| Aircraft Damage: | Destroyed |
| Impact: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 27 km (16.9 miles) NW of Ipiales ( Colombia) |
| Elevation of the accident site: | 4481 m (14701 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Scheduled Domestic Flight |
| Departure airport: | Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO/FOLLOW), Ecuador |
| Arrival airport: | Tulcan Airport (OLD/SETU), Ecuador |
| Flight number: | 120 |
probable causes
- Decision of the flight commander instructor pilot and his crew, to start and continue the operation to the Tulcán airport below the meteorological minimums established in the company's SOP's.
- Improper navigation and operation of the aircraft by the pilot at the controls and directed by the instructor pilot Flight Commander, consisting of entering the holding pattern at the Tulcán radio beacon with a speed of 230 indicated knots and with a bank of 15 degrees thus exceeding the maximum speed limit of 180 stipulated knots throughout the procedure including the holding pattern and bank less than the recommended 25 a 30 degrees thereby leaving the lateral navigation and obstacle protection limits of the approach, leading this operation to the collision against Cerro El Cumbal.
Do you remember this plane crash? 2002?
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In an accident where some landing procedures were omitted. With an instructor pilot who did not help for that
Thank you for your comment and contribution Adrian.
I've climbed to the crash site’ there are still many remains…It is devastating to see ground zero. Imagine that blow so hard... Cumbal Colombia Tame volcano 727
Hi Carlos, do you have photos maybe?
I have seen several documentaries about this accident and I found it very sad, especially when seeing the relatives at the airport and when watching the videos of the wreckage of the plane. Good post, Thank you for detailing us about this tragic event.
Good Morning:
Regrettable, a query, this is another TAME accident ? If memory serves me, another plane from this company crashed into a hill called El Telégrafo after taking off from the Bogotá airport..
Greetings
Hi jimmy, yes this is another accident that happened in Bogotá on Cerro Monserrate.
The 727 of TAME crashed on the El Cable hill.. a few decades ago an Electa from SAM crashed in the same place after flying nearby to greet a birthday boy on the ground.