Colombian Authorities have announced that preliminary results of the investigation into LaMia Flight LMI-2966 that killed 71 people, including members of the Chapecoense soccer team indicate the plane ran out of fuel. The investigation also said the plane was overweight and that the pilot failed to refuel enroute to its final destination.
“No technical factor was part of the accident, everything involved human error, added to a management factor in the company’s administration and the management and organization of the flight plans by the authorities in Bolivia,” Colombia’s Secretary for Air Safety Colonel Freddy Bonilla told journalists.
Aviation authorities in Bolivia and the airline “accepted conditions for the flight presented in the flight plan that were unacceptable,” Bonilla added.
Gustavo Vargas Gamboa, LaMia’s chief executive, was jailed pending trial earlier this month on manslaughter and other charges, which he has denied. – FRANCE 24 with REUTERS
Fan pays tribute to the players of Brazilian team Chapecoense Real Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images
Three of the soccer team members survived as well as two crew members and one reporter.
A flight crew is responsible for planning fuel requirements so the aircraft can make it to the destination airport with ample reserves in the event of holding for other traffic or diverting to another location. In this case, the aircraft arrived at the destination with little fuel remaining and then instead of declaring an emergency and requesting to land immediately they accepted air traffic controllers request to hold while another aircraft landed. The controllers on the ground had no idea the doomed aircraft was about to run out of fuel.
Brazil’s president declared three days of national mourning in honor of the members of the soccer team that were lost.
Featured Image Courtesy of Luis Benavides / AP