TAME Flight 120
Encyclopedia
TAME
Flight 120 was a Boeing 727-134 airliner, registration HC-BLF, named El Oro, operating as a scheduled international passenger flight
between Quito, Ecuador and Cali, Colombia, with a scheduled stopover at the Ecuadorian border town of Tulcán
. The aircraft crashed while on approach to Tulcán's Teniente Coronel Luis A. Mantilla International Airport
on January 28, 2002. The pilot flew the approach incorrectly in reportedly foggy conditions, and the aircraft flew into the side of the Cumbal Volcano
, located near Ipiales, Colombia, at 10:23 in the morning. All passengers and crew were killed in the crash.
. The crew were given permission to descend to 14,000 feet, and were provided with the weather conditions and cleared for the approach. The NDB approach to Runway 23 at Teniente Coronel Luis A. Mantilla Airport would take the airplane directly over the airport, bearing 085 degrees; the aircraft would then make a left-hand turn to heading 233 after 1.5 minutes, flying at 180 knots IAS
, all the while descending to a final altitude of 11,500 feet. The elevation of the runway is 9679 feet; there are numerous mountain ridges and peaks located in the vicinity of the airport, which is located high in the Andes
mountains. The Cumbal Volcano
, which rises to an altitude of 15,626 feet, is located less than 20 miles due west of the airport.
El Oro entered the approach from the southwest, passing slightly west of the NDB, as opposed to directly over it. The pilot began the turn correctly, but was flying too fast; the aircraft was flying at 230 knots, rather than the required 180. This took the 727 wide of its intended course; by the time it came around to a westerly heading, it was flying not towards the runway, but into the side of the Cumbal Volcano.
The aircraft flew into the side of the mountain at 10:23 AM, after which no further contact was made with the flight. The impact occurred at an elevation of 14,700 feet, some 1,400 feet below the volcano's summit. Visibility was very poor at the time of the accident; the wreckage was not found until almost a day later.
Tame
Tame may refer to:*Taming, the act of domesticating wild animals*River Tame, Greater Manchester*River Tame, West Midlands and the Tame Valley*Tame, Arauca, a Colombian town and municipality...
Flight 120 was a Boeing 727-134 airliner, registration HC-BLF, named El Oro, operating as a scheduled international passenger flight
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
between Quito, Ecuador and Cali, Colombia, with a scheduled stopover at the Ecuadorian border town of Tulcán
Tulcán
Tulcán is the capital of the province of Carchi in Ecuador. The population of Tulcán is approximately 83,000. Tulcán is known for its hot springs, deep wells, and a topiary garden cemetery created by José Franco...
. The aircraft crashed while on approach to Tulcán's Teniente Coronel Luis A. Mantilla International Airport
Teniente Coronel Luis a Mantilla International Airport
Teniente Coronel Luis a Mantilla International Airport is an airport in Tulcán, Ecuador. It was a destination for TAME- Accidents and Incidents at TUA :...
on January 28, 2002. The pilot flew the approach incorrectly in reportedly foggy conditions, and the aircraft flew into the side of the Cumbal Volcano
Cumbal Volcano
Cumbal is a stratovolcano located in Nariño Department, Colombia. It is the southernmost historically active volcano of Colombia.The volcano was the crash site of TAME Flight 120, which crashed in one of its hills while approaching Tulcán on January 28, 2002. There were no survivors....
, located near Ipiales, Colombia, at 10:23 in the morning. All passengers and crew were killed in the crash.
Flight chronology
The Boeing 727-100 departed Quito at 10:03 local time, taking off from Runway 17. The aircraft climbed to a cruising altitude of 18,000 feet and proceeded north-north-east along the G-675 airway. The first leg, between Quito and Tulcán, was a short one. At 10:15 HC-BLF made contact with the Tulcán control tower, at which point it was positioned 29 miles from the Tulcán NDBNon-directional beacon
A non-directional beacon is a radio transmitter at a known location, used as an aviation or marine navigational aid. As the name implies, the signal transmitted does not include inherent directional information, in contrast to other navigational aids such as low frequency radio range, VHF...
. The crew were given permission to descend to 14,000 feet, and were provided with the weather conditions and cleared for the approach. The NDB approach to Runway 23 at Teniente Coronel Luis A. Mantilla Airport would take the airplane directly over the airport, bearing 085 degrees; the aircraft would then make a left-hand turn to heading 233 after 1.5 minutes, flying at 180 knots IAS
Indicated airspeed
Indicated airspeed is the airspeed read directly from the airspeed indicator on an aircraft, driven by the pitot-static system. IAS is directly related to calibrated airspeed , which is the IAS corrected for instrument and installation errors....
, all the while descending to a final altitude of 11,500 feet. The elevation of the runway is 9679 feet; there are numerous mountain ridges and peaks located in the vicinity of the airport, which is located high in the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
mountains. The Cumbal Volcano
Cumbal Volcano
Cumbal is a stratovolcano located in Nariño Department, Colombia. It is the southernmost historically active volcano of Colombia.The volcano was the crash site of TAME Flight 120, which crashed in one of its hills while approaching Tulcán on January 28, 2002. There were no survivors....
, which rises to an altitude of 15,626 feet, is located less than 20 miles due west of the airport.
El Oro entered the approach from the southwest, passing slightly west of the NDB, as opposed to directly over it. The pilot began the turn correctly, but was flying too fast; the aircraft was flying at 230 knots, rather than the required 180. This took the 727 wide of its intended course; by the time it came around to a westerly heading, it was flying not towards the runway, but into the side of the Cumbal Volcano.
The aircraft flew into the side of the mountain at 10:23 AM, after which no further contact was made with the flight. The impact occurred at an elevation of 14,700 feet, some 1,400 feet below the volcano's summit. Visibility was very poor at the time of the accident; the wreckage was not found until almost a day later.