A huge air force transport plane veered off a runway and nose-dived into a ditch.
The large, four-engine military aircraft reportedly encountered a brake problem during the engine start-up procedure.
The plane began to roll away with both the main and emergency brakes not responding.
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The Lockheed C-130 Hercules, which was donated to the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE) by their American counterparts last year, ended up in a ditch.
The accident took place at Cotopaxi International Airport in Latacunga, Ecuador, on Tuesday (13 May) morning.
The military transporter was bound for Guayaquil when it failed to leave the ground, according to the FAE.
Aviation expert Nicolás Larenas said that the plane “experienced brake problems” and ended up on the side of the taxiway, as reported by Need To Know.
The FAE confirmed: “During the engine start procedure, the aircraft began to roll without any response from the main and emergency brakes, causing the aircraft to taxi away.”
After the large aircraft nose-dived into the ditch, emergency crews arrived on the scene to assist the crew and seven passengers on board.
No one was reported as injured in the accident.
FAE personnel then carried out technical work to remove the plane, registration FAE-898, from the side of the runway.
Larenas confirmed that this aircraft is unique in Ecuador and was donated by the United States in March 2024.
Upon receiving the aircraft, the FAE announced that it would perform defence support duties, transport Armed Forces personnel and cargo, and provide humanitarian assistance, among other tasks.
The Ecuadorian authorities confirmed that they are investigating the cause of the accident, which appears to be a hydraulic system failure.
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