Jet CP-3243 crashes in the region of Cochabamba after spinning for almost two hours at high altitude (95) Acidente with Cessna Citation Bravo in Bolívia kills two occupants after loss of communication (94) Aeronave takes off from El Alto, flies in a circular pattern and lands on Bolívia with two dead (90)
A jet Cessna 550 Citation Bravo crashed into Bolívia on Monday 13th April. The aircraft registration CP-3243 took off from Aeroporto from El Alto, in La Paz, bound for Aeroporto El Trompillo, in Santa Cruz. Both occupants died in the accident.
🚩Bolivian authorities are investigating the crash of a Cessna 550 Citation Bravo (CP-3243) that occurred yesterday. The aircraft lost contact with air traffic control about 30 minutes after takeoff and circled for nearly two hours before going down. Both pilots lost their lives.pic.twitter.com/TR3WFRfVqr
— News.Az (@news_az)April 14, 2026
The aircraft lost contact with air traffic control about 30 minutes after takeoff. Then, she performed circular movements at approximately 39,000 feet for almost two hours. Tracking data shows the pattern repeated until the start of a rapid descent. The crash occurred in a forested area approximately 115 km from Cochabamba.
Route recorded before the fall
The aircraft departed at 08:19 local time from Bolívia. The loss of communication occurred at around 08:50. From 8:55 am onwards, the jet entered a spinning pattern that was repeated around 20 times.
The flight continued at high altitude during this period. Depois, around 10:55 am, it began to descend sharply. The radar signal was lost shortly afterwards, when the aircraft was at around 19,000 feet. The wreckage was located in a difficult-to-access region in the tropics of Cochabamba.
Search teams used planes and helicopters to find the site. Direção Geral of Aeronáutica Civil of Bolívia activated emergency protocols shortly after the contact disappeared.
Main research hypothesis
Bolivian authorities consider the possibility of cabin pressurization failure. Esse type of problem can cause hypoxia in occupants at high altitude.
The situation is known in aviation as a ghost flight. Nela, automatic systems keep the plane on course or in flight pattern while the crew is incapacitated. The recorded circular pattern is compatible with this scenario.
The minister of Obras Públicas of Bolívia, Mauricio Zamora, mentioned this line of investigation in a press conference. The hypothesis gained strength because of the aircraft’s behavior after the loss of communication.
- Takeoff occurred normally from Aeroporto to El Alto
- Contact was lost about 30 minutes later
- The aircraft maintained high altitude in repeated turns
- The rapid descent began almost two hours after takeoff
- The wreckage appeared in a remote area 115 km from Cochabamba
Aircraft and flight details
Cessna 550 Citation Bravo was manufactured in 2006. The aircraft was performing a positioning flight with only two occupants on board. Não There were additional passengers.
The final destination was Aeroporto El Trompillo, in Santa Cruz. The flight followed a route that passed through the region of Cochabamba. Public tracking data helped reconstruct the sequence of events.
DGAC confirmed that the two crew members did not survive. The bodies were removed from the impact site.
Similar cases in aviation
Phantom flight situations have occurred in other accidents. A well-known example is the case of golfer Payne Stewart in 1999. Outro is flight 522 of Helios Airways in 2005.
In these episodes, pressurization failures led to the incapacitation of the crew. The planes continued flying on autopilot until they ran out of fuel or crashed.
Investigators from Bolívia will analyze the flight data and debris. The official investigation is still ongoing to determine the exact cause.
Response from authorities
Direção Geral of Aeronáutica Civil reported that it followed all emergency procedures. Equipes rescuers acted in the hours following the loss of signal.
Minister Mauricio Zamora reinforced that the investigation prioritizes the hypothesis of depressurization. Ele Did not rule out other technical possibilities.
The search operations involved air and ground resources. Access to the site was made difficult by the vegetation and relief of the area.
The accident occurred in broad daylight. Não There are reports of extreme weather conditions in the region at the time of the flight.
The investigation must include analysis of the aircraft’s pressurization and oxygen systems. Especialistas They will also examine the jet’s maintenance records.
