Crash of a Douglas DC-6 near Salto: 31 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1960 at 0940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-6
Operator:
Registration:
LV-ADS
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Asunción – Buenos Aires
MSN:
43031
YOM:
1947
Flight number:
AR205
Location:
Salto
Salto
Country:
Uruguay
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Aircraft flight hours:
19229
Aircraft flight cycles:
5314
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude on a flight from Asunción to Buenos Aires, the airplane christened 'Mariano Moreno' suffered a major issue on engine number three. Shortly later, the airplane disintegrated in the air, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located 12 km northeast of Salto. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 31 occupants were killed. Debris were scattered on more than five km.
Probable cause:
The immediate cause of the accident was overspeeding of No.3 propeller caused by irregular operation of the propeller governor, detachment of that propeller and impact with that of No.4 engine, followed by disintegration of the aircraft. The remote cause of the accident was insufficiently strict observance of engine maintenance conditions, because, while Pratt and Whitney Service Bulletins Nos. 1666 and 1680, dated 5 November 1957 and 15 May 1958 respectively, are not mandatory, the company should have taken account of the special circumstances in the history of No.3 engine, which resulted in the destruction of LV-ADS.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4 in Buenos Aires

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1960 at 1145 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.106 Comet
Operator:
Registration:
LV-AHO
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - Buenos Aires
MSN:
6410
YOM:
1959
Location:
Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini
Buenos Aires City
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini. Following several maneuvers in the area, the crew started a new approach. The aircraft landed hard, causing the undercarriage to puncture the wings and the fuel tanks. The aircraft bounced then swung on runway before coming to rest in flames. While all six crew members were slightly injured, the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the instructor who adopted a too high descent angle and failed to flare according to the published procedures.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL in Santiago del Estero

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
LV-ACM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Córdoba
MSN:
9490
YOM:
1943
Location:
Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Due to weather deterioration at Córdoba and poor visibility due to fog, the crew was diverted to Santiago del Estero. En route, the pilot informed ATC that he was low of fuel and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field and came to rest. All ten occupants escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing at alternative aerodrome when flying time was exhausted with undercarriage up, in CGO conditions due to unusual fog build-up.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Buenos Aires

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1958 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
LV-FTP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - Buenos Aires
MSN:
30356
YOM:
1944
Location:
Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini
Buenos Aires City
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, prior to V1 speed, the left engine failed. The crew decided to shut down the engine and to feather the propeller when the airplane overran, struck obstacles and crashed in flames. All four crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The cause of the failure on the left engine could not be determined. However, the instructor was blamed to perform a training mission which such aircraft at Ezeiza Airport as the runway was considered as too short for this kind of mission. Thus, when the engine failed, the available distance was insufficient.

Crash of a Douglas DC-4 in Bolivar: 61 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1957 at 1645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-4
Operator:
Registration:
LV-AHZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – San Carlos de Bariloche
MSN:
27227
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
AR670
Location:
Bolívar
Buenos Aires province
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
55
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
61
Captain / Total flying hours:
10527
Captain / Total hours on type:
2196.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
10088
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1253
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Ezeiza Airport at 1554LT on a scheduled flight direct to San Carlos de Bariloche with Comodoro Rivadavia as alternate. Six crew and fifty-five passengers were aboard. Clearance was granted by the Regional Centre Control Area for an IFR flight outside airways, with 1 200 metres as safety height as far as Neuquén and 2 400 metres up to the destination aerodrome. The aircraft carried out routine communications with the airport control tower and with the approach control office until it reached Lobos, where it was authorized to use telegraphy. From that moment there was no further information available concerning the flight. It was later established that at 1645 hours the aircraft had crashed 25 km southeast of Bolivar. All occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by the impact and the fire which broke out subsequently.
Probable cause:
The aircraft disintegrated in flight due to breakage of parts of the left wing followed by the falling off of the tail section when the equipment was subjected to stresses above those envisaged by the manufacturer. This was brought about as a direct result of the pilot's decision to attempt to cross a cold surface front under turbulent conditions of extreme severity. The following were contributing causes:
- The pilot's recklessness in descending on a track well below the minimum safety flight altitude established for this type of operation,
- The absence in the flight plan of a forecast showing the intensity of the meteorological phenomena encountered,
- Inadequate ope rational dispatch of the aircraft.
Final Report:

Crash of a Convair CV-240-6 in Capilla del Señor

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1954 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-240
Operator:
Registration:
LV-ADQ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Córdoba
MSN:
77
YOM:
1949
Location:
Capilla del Señor
Buenos Aires province
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft, engaged on a scheduled flight non-stop from Ezeiza to Córdoba, took off from Ezeiza Airport at 1500LT with 27 passengers and 5 crew. The approved flight plan provided for a VFR flight at a cruising level of 1,200 meters. At 1510LT the aircraft asked Buenos Aires ATC for clearance to change its altitude to 600 meters due to a marked frontal belt having been encountered. Shortly after this, the aircraft entered a storm area with rain, hail and strong electrical discharges of increasing intensity which caused uncontrolled loss of altitude. It continued descending until it struck the ground at approximately 1520LT, injuring the pilot, two crew and four passengers.
Probable cause:
Through causes which could not be fully ascertained and in circumstances arising while the aircraft, in attempting to leave the area of a violent storm, was flying at a low altitude, the aircraft was carried into the ground. The following factors were considered as contributory:
- The persistence of the pilot-in-command in attempting in climb, without making use, at the appropriate time, of the full power available to arrest the descent caused, according to his own statement, by meteorological conditions,
- The decision by the pilot-in-command to enter a local storm the violence of which he did not foresee and which he could have circumnavigated as prescribed by the operational standards of the company,
- The fact that the pilot-in-command had no meteorological information relating to the weather conditions he encountered.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Buenos Aires

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1950 at 2145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
LV-ACL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
12020
YOM:
1943
Location:
Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini
Buenos Aires City
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest. There were no casualties.
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