A Boeing 727-200 aircraft (registration number CP-2429) operated by Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano crash landed in a swamp in eastern Bolivia after experiencing engine failure. The crash site is located several miles from the airport at which the aircraft was about to land. The aircraft was severely damaged, but all of the more than 150 people on board survived the crash. There were some reports of injuries to a number of passengers and crew members.The accident occurred on February 1, 2008. According to press reports, the chartered flight had departed from La Paz, Bolivia and was en route to Cobija, in northern Bolivia, when it encountered severe weather. The flight diverted to the town of Trinidad. While the aircraft was on approach to Trinidad, its engines reportedly shut down, and it crash landed several miles short of the airfield.
News photos taken at the crash scene show the aircraft's fuselage essentially intact, however at least one wing had separated. There were no reports of fire.
The exact cause of the accident is unknown, however a preliminary report on the Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network website -- usually a reliable source -- states:
The 727 departed La Paz on a domestic service to Cobija (CIJ). Bad weather at the destination forced the crew to divert to Trinidad (TDD). Reports indicate that the crew carried out a forced landing in an Amazon jungle clearing just short of the airport, possibly as a result of fuel exhaustion.Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano, formerly Bolivia's state-owned airline, was privatized more than 10 years ago and has been operating most recently as a charter carrier. A number of news reports indicate that the accident flight was operating as a charter for Transporte Aéreo Militar, a Bolivian airline.
[Photo Source]
