What: Aires Boeing 737-700 en route from Bogota to San Andrés Island Colombia
Where: Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport on the Colombian island of San Andres
When: August 15 2010, 2:15 a.m.
Who: 131 aboard, 6 crew, 4 minors, 121 adult passengers
Why: Prior to touchdown, the plane was struck by lightning (11 strikes recorded within 6 miles of the runway within a five-minute span of the crash)

According to Colombian media sources, Colombian aviation inspectors blame the pilot for not “adjusting” to flying in the high wind due to flying in too low an altitude.

The plane crashed and broke into three pieces. 115 were injured and one died; Maria Camila Angarita was a second casualty when she died in the hospital.

The post Pilots Blamed in Aires Crash first appeared on George Hatcher's Air Flight Disaster.

The post Aires Bombardier Flies One Engine Down first appeared on George Hatcher's Air Flight Disaster.

What: Aires Boeing 737-700 en route from Bogota to San Andrés Island Colombia
Where: Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport on the Colombian island of San Andres
When: August 15 2010, 2:15 a.m.
Who: 131 aboard, 6 crew, 4 minors, 121 adult passengers
Why: Prior to touchdown, the plane was struck by lightning (11 strikes recorded within 6 miles of the runway within a five-minute span of the crash); the plane impacted 80 meters shy of the runway. The impact scattered pieces of the plane, and it broke at the midsection into three main parts. When help arrived, passengers were already strewn about the area. Praise Boeing for no actual fatalities.

The injured are being treated at “Amor de Patria Hospital” and “Villarreal Clinic” on San Andrés Island, with the most injured being ported to Bogata via air ambulance.

After the crash-landing, Mrs. Amar Fernández died of a heart attack en route to the hospital. She was 73. 66 were reported injured, five of them seriously, 35 hospitalized. Alejandro Colmenares Rua (18 months), Yiseth Rua Rojas (23), Catherine Rua Rojas (27), Jacqueline Rua Rojas(23), María Alejandra Ballesteros (21) and Andrés Cagua Calderón (33) were unhurt.

A room has also been opened for relatives at the Sheraton Hotel in Bogota. Aires published a release regretting what has happened. They are working with Aerocivil to serve the passengers and their families. They have provided a care line number: 018000-949490
Relatives of the occupants may contact the Hotel Habitel where they will receive all Aires information.

Flights at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla are suspended. Civil Aeronautics, the Navy, the Colombian Air Force, National Police, Red Cross, the company Aires and other institutions of the Regional Committee for Disaster Prevention and Response have responded.

The post Aires Boeing Struck by Lightning on San Andres Island first appeared on George Hatcher's Air Flight Disaster.