The DC-3 aircraft was chartered by the Colombian Army to fly soldiers from Miraflores (MFS) to San Jose del Guaviare (SJE) and Villavicencio (VCE). According to the airline, 18 soldiers with arms and equipment boarded the plane. The Army stated that 25 soldiers boarded the plane. Shortly after take off from runway 20, the engineer noted a fire in the left hand engine. As the pilot turned right the cabin filled with smoke. Emergency procedures were followed as the crew attempted to return to the airport. Meanwhile the fire caused deformation of the wing between the fuselage and the engine. Also, the left main gear fell down as a result of the fire. Speed was lost, causing the pilot to ultimately decide upon a forced landing. The aircraft impacted trees and came to rest in a forest. All occupants survived the accident. CAUSE: Undetermined. The investigators were not able to travel to the accident site due to the presence of hostile rebels in the area and thus were not able to retrieve key components like the engines.