Chapecoense plane ran out of fuel before crash, authorities say

Colombian aviation authorities said Monday that an airliner that crashed with a Brazilian soccer team aboard had run out of fuel before it could land. Seventy-one people died in the Nov. 28 accident.

BOGOTA, Colombia - Colombian aviation authorities said Monday that an airliner that crashed with a Brazilian soccer team aboard had run out of fuel before it could land. Seventy-one people died in the Nov. 28 accident.

A statement by the Civil Aeronautics agency said the conclusion was based on the plane’s black boxes and other evidence. It said the evidence points to human error rather than technical problems or sabotage.

Chapecoense crash survivor Alan Ruschel reveals seat swap saved his life

Experts had earlier suggested that fuel exhaustion was a likely cause of the crash that wiped out all but a few members of the Chapocoense soccer team, as well as team officials and journalists accompanying them to a championship playoff match in Medellin, Colombia.

The BAE 146 Avro RJ85 has a maximum range was 2,965 kilometers (1,600 nautical miles) — just under the distance between Medellin and Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where the plane had taken off at almost full capacity.

The plane was in the air for about 4 hours and 20 minutes when air traffic controllers in Medellin put it into a holding pattern because another flight had reported a suspected fuel leak and was given priority.

The world's tributes to Chapecoense

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Atletico Nacional, the club Chapecoense was flying to play in the Copa Sudamericana final, holds a vigil in a packed stadium in Colombia to honor the victims of the plane crash.

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Atletico Nacional honors Chapecoense with T-shirts prior to a league match in Colombia.

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Solemn Arsenal players hold up a Força Chape banner prior to a League Cup match.

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Atalanta fans pass a Chapecoense tifo around the stadium.

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Fans at Club America's Liga MX playoff game against Necaxa at Estadio Azteca turn their cellphones into flashlights in honor of the Chapecoense victims.

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Boca Juniors players hold up a banner that, translated, reads "We are all Chapecoense."

Michel Euler/AP

PSG forward Edinson Cavani reveals a Chapecoense T-shirt under his uniform after scoring a goal against Angers in Ligue 1.

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Air Force members carry a casket carrying one of the victims of the Chapecoense air crash during a memorial service at the club's stadium in Chapeco, Brazil.

Wesley Santos/AP

Chapecoense holds a memorial service at Arena Conda on a rainy day to commemorate the lives lost in the plane crash.

Rui Vieira/AP

Manchester City and Chelsea players observe a minute's silence for the victims of the Chapecoense plane crash.

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Rivals united: Barcelona and Real Madrid players stand together to honor the Chapecoense crash victims prior to El Clasico at Camp Nou.

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Dortmund players stand together in silence to honor Chapecoense.

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Chelsea's Brazilian players David Luiz and Willian hold up armbands with Força Chape written on them to honor the crash victims.

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Everton and Manchester United players observe a moment of silence to honor Chapecoense.

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Fans of Japanese club Cerezo Osaka remember Everton Kempes dos Santos Goncalves, a Chapecoense crash victim who played there in 2012.

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Fiorentina and Palermo players stand silently to commemorate the Chapecoense crash victims.

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Juventus players stand under a spotlight during a moment of observance for the Chapecoense victims.

Rui Vieira/AP

Manchester City players warm up for their match vs. Chelsea with T-shirts dedicated to Chapecoense.

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Fans at Tigres UANL's Liga MX playoff match vs. Leon display a giant black ribbon tifo in honor of the Chapecoense crash victims.

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Argentina power River Plate wears a special jersey with a Chapecoense symbol across the chest.

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Brazilian Bruno Cesar flashes a tribute to Chapecoense after scoring for Sporting Lisbon in Portugal's top flight.

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AC Milan's Ignazio Abate wears a special armband and jersey to commemorate Chapecoense.

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Toronto FC fans show their support for Chapecoense during the second leg of the MLS Eastern Conference final vs. Montreal.

In a recording of a radio message from the pilot of the LaMia flight, he can be heard repeatedly requesting permission to land due to a lack of fuel and a “total electric failure.”

A surviving flight attendant and a pilot flying nearby also overheard the frantic pleas from the doomed airliner.

In addition, there was no explosion upon impact, pointing to a scarcity of fuel.