On October 22, 2025, at 09:52 Local Time (LT), a Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne I twin-turboprop light aircraft, registration YV1443, crashed during initial departure from Runway 20 at Paramillo Aerodrome (SVPM) in San Cristóbal, Táchira State, Venezuela.
Shortly after rotation, the aircraft lost aerodynamic stability, banked steeply, and impacted the runway apron almost inverted before bursting into an intense post-impact fireball. Both flight crew members on board—experienced pilot José Antonio Bortone Terife (50) and co-pilot Juan Maldonado (47)—were killed.
1. Tactical Incident Breakdown
- Date & Local Time: October 22, 2025 | 09:52 LT
- Location: Paramillo Aerodrome (SVPM), San Cristóbal, Táchira State, Venezuela
- Aircraft Model: Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne I
- Civil Registration: YV1443
- Operator: EC Charter / Venezuelan Logistics Operations
- Flight Phase: Initial Climb / Departure Phase
- Flight Type: Non-Scheduled Commercial / Logistics Transport Flight
- Flight Route: Paramillo Aerodrome (SVPM) ──► Local / Government Mission
- Occupants: 2 Flight Crew Members
- Casualties: 2 Fatalities (100% Onboard Mortality)
- Airframe Status: Totally Destroyed by Impact and Post-Crash Fire
- Pilot Experience: Captain José Antonio Bortone Terife — 30 years experience, 10,300 total flight hours
- Investigating Authority: Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Board (Junta Investigadora de Accidentes de Aviación Civil – JIAAC / INAC)
2. Sequence of Events & Incident Dynamics
[Takeoff Roll on Runway 20] ──► [Rotation & Low-Altitude Maneuver / Asymmetric Anomaly] ──► [Aerodynamic Stall & Uncontrolled Wing Drop] ──► [Inverted Runway Impact] ──► [Fuel Igniting Fireball]- Takeoff Run: The Piper Cheyenne I commenced its takeoff roll along Runway 20 under visual conditions.
- Loss of Control: Moments after becoming airborne, the aircraft encountered a loss of aerodynamic control. Eyewitness accounts indicated the aircraft entered an abrupt bank angle or low-altitude pitch adjustment that resulted in an immediate stall.
- Inverted Impact: Unable to recover altitude, the aircraft’s port wing struck the tarmac. The airframe rolled onto its back and impacted the ground adjacent to the runway.
- Post-Impact Thermal Destruction: Ruptured fuel cells instantly ignited, creating a massive fireball across the Paramillo airfield. Airport fire units (Bomberos Aeronáuticos) responded immediately, but both aviators died at the scene.
3. Incident Summary Data & Investigative Focus
| Key Parameter | Details |
| Aircraft Model | Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne I (2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-11 turboprops) |
| Tail Registration | YV1443 |
| Occupants / Fatalities | 2 Crew / 2 Fatalities |
| Flight Crew Manifest | • José Antonio Bortone Terife (50, Captain) † • Juan Maldonado (47, Co-Pilot) † |
| Primary Investigation Vectors | Potential tire blowout during high-speed rollout, sudden mechanical power asymmetry, or aerodynamic stall during low-altitude departure maneuvering. |
