Accidents and incidents
Aerosucre has been the site of many aviation incidents and accidents:
On 16 September 1976, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registered HK-1282) disappeared without a trace on a cargo flight from Barranquilla to Oranjestad. Two crew members were on board.
On 13 March 1984, during an apparently illegal flight, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registered HK-1322P) was forced by air traffic control to return to Barranquilla. The plane crashed upon landing, killing four of the six occupants aboard.
On 27 November 1986, a Sud Aviation Caravelle (registered HK-2850) aborted takeoff from Arauca, Colombia, due to control problems. The aircraft overran the runway and crashed into a ditch. No deaths resulted, although the plane was written off.
On 26 April 1989, a Sud Aviation Caravelle (registered HK-3325X) crashed into an inhabited area shortly after taking off from Barranquilla. All five crew members were killed, along with two people on the ground. The cause was poorly secured cargo, which shifted during takeoff, causing the aircraft to stall.
On 5 November 1989, a Handley Page Herald 401 (registered HK-2702) en route from Bogotá to Cali crashed into a mountain near the town of Roncesvalles, Tolima, during poor weather. All six occupants were killed.
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On 20 June 1991, a Douglas DC-6B (registered HK-3511X) crashed on its second attempt at landing at Barranquilla, killing two and injuring 20 of the 25 passengers on board.
On 29 September 1991, a Sud Aviation Caravelle (registered HK-3288X) had its landing gear fail during takeoff, causing it to veer off the runway. All crew members and occupants survived.
On 1 May 1995, a Boeing 727-100 (registered HK-1717) descended below the glide slope on approach to Taguatinga Airport, Brazil, touching down 6 m (20 ft) before the runway threshold.
On 25 June 1997, the same aircraft, HK-1717, crossed the threshold of runway 31 at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, after having aborted takeoff. All occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft was declared a total loss and later scrapped.
On 17 August 2006, a Boeing 727-200 (registered HK-3985) suffered a landing-gear failure during taxi at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, resulting in damage to its left wing. The aircraft was declared a total loss and was scrapped.
On 18 November 2006, a Boeing 727-200 (registered HK-3667X) on a cargo flight from Bogotá to Leticia crashed on approach to Leticia when it hit a 46 m (150 ft) television antenna. The three crew members and two passengers were killed,
On 20 December 2016, Aerosucre Flight 157, a Boeing 727-200 (registered HK-4544) crashed after takeoff from Germán Olano Airport in Puerto Carreño. The aircraft overran the runway, crashed through a fence, crossed a road - where the aircraft nearly struck several civilians - and eventually became airborne, but lost altitude and crashed while attempting to return for an emergency landing. Five crew members died; one crew member survived, but suffered severe injuries.
On 21 August 2021, a Boeing 737-230 (registered HK-5026) had to make an emergency landing back to Mitú, since the cargo door had opened in flight after taking off from Mitú.
On 10 November 2024, a Boeing 727-200(F) (registered HK-5216) en route to Valencia, Venezuela, experienced a serious incident after it clipped a localizer array on departure from runway 14L at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia. The aircraft returned to the airport approximately one hour later, landing on runway 14R without further incident.
On 12 December 2025, the same aircraft, a Boeing 727-200(F) (registered HK-5216) on a flight from Barranquilla to Bogota, returned to Barranquilla due to a problem with the left main gear. The plane touched down with the left wing on the runway and suffered substantial damage to the left wing.Following this, all 727s were retired from Aerosucre.
