Río Gallegos

The aircraft departed Buenos Aires-San Fernando Airport on a positioning flight to Río Gallegos, carrying two pilots. During the takeoff roll, the copilot (pilot-in-command) noticed that the left engine N1 reached a value of 101% instead of 95% like the right engine. At that point the aircraft had already traveled 380 metres. As the aircraft started to veer to the right, the copilot decided to abandon the takeoff procedure without informing the captain. The power levers were brought back to idle and the copilot started to brake. After a course of about 980 metres, the right engine N1 value dropped to 30-40% while the left engine remained at 101%. Then the captain took over control, deployed briefly the thrust reverser system when the aircraft departed the runway to the right. While rolling in a grassy area, it struck a drainage ditch located 80 metres from the runway, lost its undercarriage then slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest, bursting into flames. Both pilots evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

After takeoff from Lago Argentino Airport, a red warning light came on in the cockpit panel, informing the crew about the incomplete retraction of the left main gear. The crew proceeded to a visual inspection and after confirmation that the left main gear was properly secured in its wheel well, the crew decided to continue to Río Gallegos. On approach, the left main gear did not deploy. After the crew failed to extend it manually, he raised the other landing gear and completed a belly landing. On short final, just prior to flare, both engines were shut down and their propellers were feathered. The aircraft landed on its belly, slid for few dozen metres and came to rest. All seven occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The airplane departed Río Gallegos on a special flight to Ushuaia, carrying five members of the YPF and Hidronor Company who were completing visits of local oil fields. An ILS approach to Ushuaia Airport was initiated from the southeast. While descending, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane struck a hilly terrain and crashed about 20 km southeast of Ushuaia, about 25 km west of Puerto Williams, on Chilean territory. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Roberto Couceiro, pilot,
Vicente Sanz, copilot,
Guillermo Pérez, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Raúl Agustín Ondarts,
Carlos maria Sureda,
Guillermo Zubarán,
Luis Amílcar Medina,
Osvaldo Rubén Zenobi.

The four engine aircraft was returning to Buenos Aires following a reconnaissance mission over Antarctica. The approach to Mar del Plata Airport was initiated in very bad weather conditions when the airplane crashed in flames in a field located some six km short of runway. All 24 occupants escaped while the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

The aircraft was on a cargo flight from Rio Grande (Tierra del Fuego) to Ezeiza Airport, with an intermediate stop at Rio Gallegos (Santa Cruz). An IFR flight plan was filed for an off-airway overwater flight directly from Rio Gallegos to Ezeiza. The pilot-in-command stated that at 1700 hours and shortly after passing abeam of Comodoro Rivadavia he noticed that the No. 1 engine oil was low, the indicator reading approximately 23 US gallons. It should be pointed out that, although the pilot testified to being already beyond Comodoro Rivadavia at 1700 hours, he in fact reported abeam of that position to control tower of Comodoro Rivadavia Airport at 1720 hours. Thinking that the instrument might not be functioning correctly, he checked it while the mechanic looked out of the window but saw no signs of leakage. The check revealed that the engine was consuming a gallon of oil every 15 minutes. Temperature and pressure were normal. Under the circumstances, he decided to land at Trelew for an engine check and oil refill, his calculations having indicated that he would lose four gallons in the process and still have 17 remaining on landing. Meanwhile, the mechanic, who was still watching the engine, noticed oil flames which confirmed the leakage of oil. The pilot believed that he would sight Trelew before nightfall, but that he would have to make a night landing. After a few minutes the low oil pressure warning light for No. 2 engine came on, simultaneously the temperature rose and the pressure indicator oscillated, so he gave orders to stop the engine and feather the propeller. It was then 1735 hours and he was flying visually, having passed through the cloud layer over the area. The sun was no longer visible. He decided that there was no other alternative but to continue towards Trelew and then to find a landing strip, and at 2 700 m started to descend in order to cool No. 1 engine which had heated to 1100 on account of the greater power combined with slower speed. He descended gradually to 1 200 m to cool the engine as much as possible. He then gave orders to restart No. 2 engine, which was done, but it seized. He again had it stopped and the propeller feathered, and at this juncture considered the situation extremely serious since owing to height and speed loss he would reach Trelew after 1835 hours. At 450 m after calculating the cargo and fuel weight, the pilot ordered the greatest possible amount of cargo to be jettisoned and some 1 200 kg were thrown out. At 300 m he decided to make for the coast and try to ditch in the sea with only the port engine operating. The night was very dark and the shore, which lay to the north, could not be seen distinctly. Visibility was better towards 'the south. After heading out over the sea and making a 2700 turn to the left, he decided, as the aircraft descended, to come down parallel to the coast as close to it as possible taking care not to approach too close to avoid hitting any rocks. The passengers were briefed for the emergency and a door was left open, since at the moment of impact both the co-pilot and engineer would be occupied in cutting the battery, generators, magnetos, fuel cocks and operating the landing gear. With the lights extended and turned on, the pilot was able to see the water but not judge his height. When the altimeter registered zero, he started to draw back the control column and cut out the one operating engine until he realized the aircraft had hit the water. It travelled forward some 200 m, veered round to the right and came to a stop. It hit some rocks in the process losing the port engine, and other serious damage was caused by the uneven rocky bottom. The time was about 1830 hours and, according to the relevant tables, it had been completely dark since 1811 hours. The aircraft's position was 650 18' W, 43O 52' S. After ascertaining that no one had been injured, the 5-seat life raft was inflated. Owing to the lack of adequate life-saving equipment for everyone, the occupants of the aircraft reached the shore with the greatest difficulty, some in the life raft, others clinging to the sides. The engineer took an oxygen flask, jumped into the sea and disappeared from sight dragged down by the current, and in the darkness he could not be found. The cabin attendant and one passenger, who had decided to remain on top of the aircraft, left it when the tide fell enough for them to walk to shore. One crew member disappeared while trying to swim to shore. Damage to the aircraft and powerplant was estimated at 90% resulting from impact and subsequent immersion. The aircraft's cargo of hides and wool was a total loss.

The cargo flight Rio Grande - Río Gallegos - Río Cuarto - Buenos Aires, which had to be completed in daylight, ran late due to delays in the loading of 99 sheep. It was dark outside by the time the aircraft left Río Gallegos. The destination had been changed to Villa Reynolds, which had electric lighting instead of kerosene putts at Río Cuarto. Although weather was worsening, the crew didn't change to an IFR flight plan. Various attempts to contact Villa Reynolds failed so the crew decided to divert to Río Cuarto by following a roadway, illuminated from time to time by lightning flashes and headlights of automobile traffic. The crew managed to find the airport and overflew it first. The airport employees meanwhile weren't able to keep the kerosene putts alight due to rain and wind. Four vehicles were dispatched to mark the runway threshold with their headlights. The crew got lost and asked the controller to determine their position relative to the airport by the noise of the engines. While attempting a second run over the field to locate the runway, the aircraft descended into the ground and slid on flat ground for 300 m, broke a wire fence and came to rest in a cornfield 5 km NE of the airport. All four occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Source: ASN

Crashed during takeoff and came to rest in flames. All six crew members escaped uninjured.

Shortly after takeoff from Río Gallegos Airport, the four engine aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height. The captain decided to attempt an emergency landing in a snow covered field. Both engines number three and four were partially sheared off and three passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft was attempting a night takeoff on the last leg of a circuit begun two days earlier in Ezeiza, with stops at all aerodromes on the Atlantic seaboard. After a run of about 600 meters, it lifted in a gentle curve to the left but hit the ground again off the runway, skidding to the right. The impact broke the left landing gear strut and the aircraft came to rest after travelling about 96 meters. A fire broke out in the left engine nacelle and could not be put out because of the lack of adequate fire fighting equipment at the aerodrome. No injuries were sustained by the four crew members and one passenger on board at the time of the accident (0820LT).

While descending to Ushuaia on a flight from Río Gallegos, the crew informed ground about his position vertical to Lake Fagnano. Few minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 600 meters, the airplane hit the slope of the Mt Roncagly Ewn located near the Almirantazgo fjord, on the south part of Chile. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was discovered by walkers 33 years later, in 1983, in an isolated area located west of Ushuaia.
Crew:
Cpt Bautista Faustino Mendioroz,
1st Lt Raúl Juan Zarzuela,
Lt Emilio Barrios,
Lt Marcos Carlos Modolo,
Lt José Enrique Marcuzzi,
Lt José Antonio Bianchi,
Sgt Adrián Enrique Heynen,
Sgt Adelmo Carmen Amoroso,
Sgt Hector Oscar Ibañez,
Maj Federico Nicolás Pacheco,
Maj Humberto Francisco Losardo.