If you look in Google Earth, Mosquera is about 2.5 miles and slightly left of the departure end of Rwy 31L. Those old 747 classics are typically operated by these outfits on the very ragged edge of the performance envelope. Having to max perform the aircraft, old airplanes, and engines that are are subjected to a high percentage of max power takeoffs, tempts fate. Not at all uncommon for the EGTs to go yellow or even red on takeoffs out of Bogota.
Sad to say, but the FAA just isn't real interested, for whatever reason, in the bottom feeder freight operators. It'd be real interesting to see what an real and comprehensive investigation by an outside objective panel of experts of maintenance practices of the bottom-feeder freight outfits would turn out.
It will be real interesting on how the Colombians handle this investigation. The last big 747 accident was the Tradewinds runway departure in MDE, I think. However, no one was killed or seriously injured in that one.
Last edited by Roadtrip; 7th Jul 2008 at 19:25.