Before crashing, the LaMia aircraft pushed its fuel limit on eight other flights
At least eight flights carried out by LaMia Airlines prior to the fatal flight in which the Chapecoense team members died, the company violated aeronautical regulations relating to the weight and fuel of the plane, according to an itinerary obtained by Univision Investiga and analyzed by experts.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the aircrafts must carry a mandatory fuel reserve for any eventuality. Flights should be planned ir order to avoid using that reserve.
Mandatory fuel reserve of
at least 45 minutes
The Avro RJ85 aircraft can flight for about
4 hours and 22 minutes on a tank of fuel.*
FLIGHT HOURS
0
1
2
3
4
Santa Cruz - Medellin
9
Nov. 28. Chapecoense’s
flight crashes.
4h 42m
(2,960 km)
Belo Horizonte - B. Aires
8
Nov 11. Flights the Argentina
national football team to
a match for the 2018
World Cup Qualifiers.
4h 04m
(2,170 km)
Buenos Aires - Belo Horizonte
3h 29m
(2,170 km)
Santa Cruz - Buenos Aires
3h 07m
(1,940 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
7
Nov 4. Flight to pick up
the Argentina national
football team.
4h 33m
(2,960 km)
Cobija - Medellin
3h 25m
(2,040 km)
Asuncion - Cobija
3h 12m
(1,970 km)
Sta. Cruz - Asuncion
1h 36m
(1,022 km)
4h 32m
(2,960 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
6
Oct 29. Flights Club Atletico
Nacional for the South
American Cup semifinal.
Cochabamba - Medellin
5
Oct 28. Flights empty.
4h 27m
(2,800 km)
Cobija - Foz de Iguazu
3h 13m
(2,205 km)
3h 50m
(2,510 km)
Barranquilla - Cobija
4
Oct 20. Flights Chapecoense
back from the South
American Cup quarter finals.
3h 56m
(2,510 km)
Cobija - Barranquilla
3
Oct 18. Flights Chapecoense
for the South American Cup
quarter finals.
2h 51m (1,635 km)
Brasilia - Santa Cruz
Natal - Brasilia
2h 54m (1,770 km)
Brasilia - Natal
2h 37m (1,770 km)
Santa Cruz - Brasilia
2h 34m (1,635 km)
3h 01m (1,970 km)
Cobija - Asuncion
3h 11m (2,040 km)
Cobija - Medellin
Cobija - Coch.
1h 19m (760 km)
3h 41m
(2,400 km)
Caracas - Cobija
2
Sep 7. Flights empty.
Merida - Caracas
1h 06m (510 km)
4h 28m
(2,960 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
1
Aug 22. Flights empty.
(*) Flight time may vary according to
wind or delays on ground.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the aircrafts must carry a mandatory fuel reserve for any eventuality. Flights should be planned ir order to avoid using that reserve.
Mandatory fuel reserve of
at least 45 minutes
The Avro RJ85 aircraft can flight for about
4 hours and 22 minutes on a tank of fuel.*
FLIGHT HOURS
0
1
2
3
4
Santa Cruz - Medellin
9
Nov. 28. Chapecoense’s
flight crashes.
4h 42m
(2,960 km)
Belo Horizonte - Buenos Aires
8
Nov 11. Flights the Argentina
national football
team to a match for the 2018
World Cup Qualifiers.
4h 04m
(2,170 km)
Buenos Aires - Belo Horizonte
3h 29m
(2,170 km)
Santa Cruz - Buenos Aires
3h 07m
(1,940 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
7
Nov 4. Flight to pick up the
Argentina national football team.
4h 33m
(2,960 km)
Cobija - Medellin
3h 25m
(2,040 km)
Asuncion - Cobija
3h 12m
(1,970 km)
Sta. Cruz - Asuncion
1h 36m
(1,022 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
6
Oct 29. Flights Club Atletico
Nacional for the South American
Cup semifinal.
4h 32m
(2,960 km)
Cochabamba - Medellin
5
Oct 28. Flights empty.
4h 27m
(2,800 km)
Cobija - Foz de Iguazu
3h 13m
(2,205 km)
Barranquilla - Cobija
3h 50m
(2,510 km)
4
Oct 20. Flights Chapecoense
back from the South American
Cup quarter finals.
Cobija - Barranquilla
3h 56m
(2,510 km)
3
Oct 18. Flights Chapecoense
for the South American Cup
quarter finals.
Brasilia - Santa Cruz
2h 51m (1,635 km)
Natal - Brasilia
2h 54m (1,770 km)
Brasilia - Natal
2h 37m (1,770 km)
Santa Cruz - Brasilia
2h 34m (1,635 km)
Cobija - Asuncion
3h 01m (1,970 km)
Cobija - Medellin
3h 11m (2,040 km)
Cobija - Coch.
1h 19m (760 km)
Caracas - Cobija
3h 41m
(2,400 km)
2
Sep 7. Flights empty.
Merida - Caracas
1h 06m (510 km)
4h 28m
(2,960 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
1
Aug 22. Flights empty.
(*) Flight time may vary according to wind
or delays on ground.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the aircrafts must carry a mandatory fuel reserve for any eventuality. Flights should be planned ir order to avoid using that reserve.
Mandatory fuel reserve
of at least 45 minutes
The Avro RJ85 aircraft can flight for about
4 hours and 22 minutes on a tank of fuel.*
FLIGHT HOURS
0
1
2
3
4
Santa Cruz - Medellin
4h 42m
(2,960 km)
9
Nov. 28. Chapecoense’s flight crashes.
Belo Horizonte - Buenos Aires
4h 04m
(2,170 km)
8
Nov 11. Flights the Argentina national football
team to a match for the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers.
Buenos Aires - Belo Horizonte
3h 29m (2,170 km)
Santa Cruz - Buenos Aires
3h 07m (1,940 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
4h 33m
(2,960 km)
7
Nov 4. Flight to pick up the Argentina
national football team.
Cobija - Medellin
3h 25m (2,040 km)
Asuncion - Cobija
3h 12m (1,970 km)
Sta. Cruz - Asuncion
1h 36m (1,022 km)
4h 32m
(2,960 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
6
Oct 29. Flights Club Atletico Nacional
for the South American Cup semifinal.
Cochabamba - Medellin
4h 27m
(2,800 km)
5
Oct 28. Flights empty.
Cobija - Foz de Iguazu
3h 13m (2,205 km)
Barranquilla - Cobija
3h 50m
(2,510 km)
4
Oct 20. Flights Chapecoense back from
the South American Cup quarter finals.
Cobija - Barranquilla
3h 56m
(2,510 km)
3
Oct 18. Flights Chapecoense for the South
American Cup quarter finals.
Brasilia - Santa Cruz
2h 51m (1,635 km)
Natal - Brasilia
2h 54m (1,770 km)
Brasilia - Natal
2h 37m (1,770 km)
Santa Cruz - Brasilia
2h 34m (1,635 km)
Cobija - Asuncion
3h 01m (1,970 km)
Cobija - Medellin
3h 11m (2,040 km)
Cobija - Coch.
1h 19m (760 km)
Caracas - Cobija
3h 41m
(2,400 km)
2
Sep 7. Flights empty.
Merida - Caracas
1h 06m (510 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
4h 28m
(2,960 km)
1
Aug 22. Flights empty.
(*) Flight time may vary according to wind or delays on ground.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the aircrafts must carry a mandatory fuel reserve for any eventuality. Flights should be planned ir order to avoid using that reserve.
Mandatory fuel reserve
of at least 45 minutes
The Avro RJ85 aircraft can flight for about
4 hours and 22 minutes on a tank of fuel.*
FLIGHT HOURS
0
1
2
3
4
Santa Cruz - Medellin
4h 42m
(2,960 km)
9
Nov. 28. Chapecoense’s flight crashes.
Belo Horizonte - Buenos Aires
4h 04m
(2,170 km)
8
Nov 11. Flights the Argentina national football
team to a match for the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers.
Buenos Aires - Belo Horizonte
3h 29m (2,170 km)
Santa Cruz - Buenos Aires
3h 07m (1,940 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
4h 33m
(2,960 km)
7
Nov 4. Flight to pick up the Argentina national football team.
Cobija - Medellin
3h 25m (2,040 km)
Asuncion - Cobija
3h 12m (1,970 km)
Sta. Cruz - Asuncion
1h 36m (1,022 km)
4h 32m
(2,960 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
6
Oct 29. Flights Club Atletico Nacional for the South American
Cup semifinal.
Cochabamba - Medellin
4h 27m
(2,800 km)
5
Oct 28. Flights empty.
Cobija - Foz de Iguazu
3h 13m (2,205 km)
Barranquilla - Cobija
3h 50m
(2,510 km)
4
Oct 20. Flights Chapecoense back from the South American
Cup quarter finals.
Cobija - Barranquilla
3h 56m
(2,510 km)
3
Oct 18. Flights Chapecoense for the South American Cup
quarter finals.
Brasilia - Santa Cruz
2h 51m (1,635 km)
Natal - Brasilia
2h 54m (1,770 km)
Brasilia - Natal
2h 37m (1,770 km)
Santa Cruz - Brasilia
2h 34m (1,635 km)
Cobija - Asuncion
3h 01m (1,970 km)
Cobija - Medellin
3h 11m (2,040 km)
Cobija - Coch.
1h 19m (760 km)
Caracas - Cobija
3h 41m
(2,400 km)
2
Sep 7. Flights empty.
Merida - Caracas
1h 06m (510 km)
Medellin - Santa Cruz
4h 28m
(2,960 km)
1
Aug 22. Flights empty.
(*) Flight time may vary according to wind or delays on ground.
The company put the passengers at high risk by covering entire routes without enough fuel to overcome eventual overflights by air traffic at the destination or detours due to bad weather, analysts said.
"What this table reflects is that there are systematic violations on almost all flights," said Esteban Saltos, a pilot, air safety expert. "As far as I can see, the company was accustomed to taking the plane to the fuel limit."
From the analysis of the table it appears that in order to comply with the non-refueling routes, the airline had to fill the aircraft to the limit of its fuel capacity, not taking into consideration the weight of passengers and luggage. Because of these limitations, the pilots could not have maneuvered in case of an emergency in one of the engines at takeoff, the pilot explained.
"I have no doubt that the flights that appear with maximum flight range took off with excess passenger weight thereby exceeding the capacity established by the manufacturer of the airplane," added Saltos.