Piper PA-31 accident near Santander, CO, May 3, 2014
On May 3, 2014 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1968 Piper PA-31, registered CGSVM, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Santander (Bucaramanga airport). It was an aerial observation flight under non-U.S. private rules. 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
<br /><br />
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2014 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santander, Colombia · Bucaramanga · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31, built 1968 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- CGSVM · no longer on the register · serial 31-109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
<br /><br />
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
Pilot
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 6,839 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540A (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: 138883 Canada Inc (Brucelandair Interna
The flight
- Departed from: BGA Bucaramanga
- Destination: BGA Bucaramanga
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.