Bogotá - Quito

On April 20, 1998 at 04:45 PM, Bogotá - Quito experienced a crash involving Boeing 727-200, operated by Transportes Aéreos Mercantiles Ecuatorianos - TAME, with the event recorded near Bogotá-El Dorado Bogotá Capital District.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a mountains crash site.

53 people were known to be on board, 53 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 10, crew fatalities: 10, passengers on board: 43, passenger fatalities: 43, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The flight from Bogotá to Quito was completed by TAME on a wet-lease contract for Air France, second leg from the AF422 flight from Paris to Quito via Bogotá operated by an Airbus A340. After takeoff from runway 13 at Bogotá-El Dorado Airport, the crew was cleared for a Girardot 1 departure that consist of continuing on runway heading for 2 miles after takeoff, followed by a 90° right turn over the Romeo beacon. For unknown reasons, the crew continued straight forward until the aircraft impacted the Mt El Cable located ahead of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 53 occupants were killed, among them 25 European Nationals, seven Italians, six French, three Danish, three Spanish, two Germans, two Austrians, one British and one Swiss. The wreckage was found 50 metres below the summit. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor with rain, clouds at 2,300 feet and CB's.

Aircraft reference details include registration HC-BSU, MSN 21622, year of manufacture 1978.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 4.6163°, -74.0738°.