Puerto Montt | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route from Santiago to Coyhaique, the crew encountered severe icing conditions and was cleared to divert to Puerto Montt Airport. Few minutes later, the aircraft lost height and crashed on the slope of Mt Michimahuida. The wreckage was found on August 21. All 14 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 401 off Chaitén: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1998 at 1505 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 401

Operator:

Aerochaitén

Registration:

CC-CIX

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Chaitén - Puerto Montt

MSN:

401-0029

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Chaitén Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in the sea near the La Puntilla harbor. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed. It was reported that the aircraft was on fire prior to impact with water, maybe after an engine caught fire.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo B off Chaitén: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Registration:

CC-CSR

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Chaitén - Puerto Montt

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Chaitén Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in the gulf of Corcovado, few hundred metres offshore. All eight occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK off Puerto Montt

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Aero Aysen

Registration:

CC-CBT

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

14727/26172

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

About 35 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 5,500 feet, the left engine started to malfunction. It was decided to shut it down and to feather the propeller. Full power was added on the right engine that exploded shortly later. In such situation, the crew decided to ditch the aircraft off Llaque Island located in the region of Puerto Montt. The aircraft sank and was lost and the crew was rescued.

Probable cause:

Engine malfunction in flight.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 on Mt Puelo Alto

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1969

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Operator:

Registration:

942

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Puerto Montt – Segundo Corral

MSN:

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route to Segundo Corral, the twin engine aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located on the slope of Mt Puelo Alto. All 21 occupants were rescued few hours later and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3C in Chaitén

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1967

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

CC-CLB

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Puerto Montt – Chaitén

MSN:

14832/26277

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

23720

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a ferry flight from Puerto Montt-El Tepual Airport to Chaitén. The airplane was operated by Eduardo Rubio Guarderas. The landing was completed in the first third of the runway but it appeared the aircraft struck rubble on the ground, damaging both main gears. On of them then collapsed and the airplane veered off runway before coming to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter near Puerto Montt: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1960

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

Operator:

Registration:

933

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Quellón – Chaitén – Puerto Montt

MSN:

193

YOM:

1957

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a flight from Quellón to Puerto Montt with an intermediate stop at Chaitén, carrying spare parts for another FAC Otter registered 932. While approaching Puerto Montt, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity when the airplane went out of control and crashed. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-43 off Desertores Island: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Sikorsky S-43

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Puerto Montt – Punta Arenas

MSN:

4319

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The seaplane was on its way from Puerto Montt to Punta Arenas, operating the line named 'Línea Experimental Puerto Montt-Magallanes'. While cruising off the Chiloé Islands, the float plane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. Few debris were found on the shores of the Desertores Island but no trace of the occupants was ever found.

Crash of a Junkers R-42 off Punta Arenas: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1930

Type of aircraft:

Junkers G.24

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Puerto Montt – Punta Arenas

MSN:

928

YOM:

1926

Location:

Punta Arenas

Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena

Country:

Chile

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While on approach to Punta Arenas, the engine failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in the Strait of Magellan, off Punta Arenas. Both crew and a passenger were killed while three other occupants, among them General Arturo Merino Benítez, were injured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure on approach.

Crash of a Canadian Vickers Vedette off Santa Elena Island: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1930 at 1645 LT

Type of aircraft:

Canadian Vickers Vedette

Operator:

Línea Aérea Experimental

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Puerto Montt - Puerto Aysén

Location:

Santa Elena Island

Región Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo

Country:

Chile

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of about 500 metres on a flight from Puerto Montt to Puerto Aysén, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions. Control was lost and the airplane crashed in the estuary of the Aysén River, off the Santa Elena Island. Commander Arturo Merino Benítez (First Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Air Force), who was in Puerto Montt that day, initiated a SAR operation with his mechanic aboard the Junkers G24 registered J6 which had been fitted with floats at the base of Chamiza. Unfortunately, all operations were suspended after two days as no trace of the aircraft nor both occupants was found.
Crew:
Lt Aníbal Vidal Silva, pilot,
Cpl Alfredo Román Garay, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Loss of control probably consecutive to intense gusts/downdrafts while approaching the Santa Elena Island which is permanently affected by storms and covered by banks of fog.