Zone
Mendoza

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando on Mt Tupungato: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Aircraft Line Maintenance
Registration:
N8040Y
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Santiago de Chile – Panama City – Miami
MSN:
30323
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Tupungato
Mendoza
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
After being bought by a company based in Miami, the aircraft was transferred from Buenos Aires to Miami on a delivery flight via Santiago de Chile and Panama City. En route to Santiago, while cruising at an altitude of 5,000 meters, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Tupungato (6,750 meters high) located southwest of Mendoza, Argentina. The wreckage was found two years later by a Chilean rescue team. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all five occupants were killed.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian III on Mt Tupungato: 11 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1947 at 1441 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 691 Lancastrian
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGWH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
London – Lisbon – Banjul – Natal – Buenos Aires – Santiago de Chile
MSN:
1280
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
CS59
Location:
Mt Tupungato
Mendoza
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Captain / Total flying hours:
1971
Captain / Total hours on type:
473.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2129
Copilot / Total hours on type:
127
Aircraft flight hours:
1655
Circumstances:
After passing over Mendoza, enroute to Santiago de Chile, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with strong winds (up to 180 km/h) and heavy snow falls. While cruising at an altitude of 15,000 feet, the four engine aircraft christened 'Star Dust' hit the slope of Mt Tupungaro located in the Argentinian Andes. As the airplane failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. About 53 years later, in 2000, an official mission conducted by Argentinian Army Officers and Scientists was organized to find the aircraft. Few debris and three bodies were found and repatriated down to the valley.
Probable cause:
In 1947, through lack of evidence due to no wreckage having been found, the cause of the accident remained obscure. The possibility of severe icing cannot be ignored. Later, in 2001, an investigation commission conducted by Argentinian and British experts concluded that the accident was probably caused by a premature descent on part of the crew due to strong head winds. The presence of strong winds at high altitude reduced the speed of the aircraft and the crew was not aware of these winds. Due to lack of visibility, the crew started the descent and was not able to distinguish the mountains.
Final Report:
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