SATENA Flight 8849

On January 28, 2026, SATENA Flight 8849, a scheduled domestic flight in Colombia from Camilo Daza International Airport in Cúcuta to Aguas Claras Airport in Ocaña, crashed in Curasica, Playa de Belén, Norte de Santander. The Beechcraft 1900 operating the flight was carrying 13 passengers and two crew members. All 15 occupants were killed.

Background

Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident was HK-4709, a Beechcraft 1900D manufactured in 1994 and operated by SEARCA for SATENA. The aircraft had 32,000 flight hours at the time of accident.

Passengers and crew

At least 15 people were on board at the time of the accident, consisting of two crew members and thirteen passengers. Among the passengers were Diógenes Quintero, a member of the Chamber of Representatives, and Carlos Salcedo, a candidate running in the March 2026 congressional election. The pilot had more than 10,000 hours of flying experience.

Crash

The plane took off from Camilo Daza International Airport in Cúcuta at 16:42 UTC. The last contact was made at 16:54 UTC near the Venezuelan border. The wreckage was discovered in a rugged, densely covered area of the Cordillera Oriental known as Curasica in Playa de Belén. The plane was completely destroyed upon impact and no survivors were reported. The tail section and a chunk of fuselage remained intact.