Part 4/7:
This decision was, in part, driven by recent tensions surrounding Patino’s reinstatement and salary issues with the airline, leading to a somewhat passive approach that would ultimately ruin their flight.
Descent into Confusion
As they began their descent, an unexpected series of mistakes unfolded. The first officer selected a descent rate of 1500 feet per minute—noticing a higher altitude descent rate than required for the standard procedure as they approached the approach fix. The captain failed to select the altitude properly on the autopilot, which meant the plane continued to descend unchecked—drawing closer to the mountains lurking below.