Robinson Crusoe Island | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The twin engine aircraft departed Santiago de Chile-Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez (Pudahuel) Airport on a special flight to Robinson Crusoe Island, carrying 17 passengers and a crew of four. The flight was organized by NGO's in cooperation with the Chilean National Television to see the progress of the reconstruction on the island of Robinson Crusoe following the 2010 earthquake. Among the occupants were members of the National Television and also from the Council of Culture. The famous Chilean television icon Felipe Camiroaga Fernández was among the passengers. Following an almost 3-hour flight, the crew completed a low pass over the runway 14 then started the approach to runway 32 from the sea. At an altitude of about 650 feet, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent, rolled to the left to an angle of 90° and impacted the sea. Debris were found floating on water and the main wreckage was later found about one km southeast from the airport. All 21 occupants were killed.

Personnel from the Chilean Air Force:
Lt Carolina Fernández Quinteros,
Lt Juan Pablo Mallea Lagos,
1st Sgt Eduardo Jones San Martín,
1st Cpl Eduardo Estrada Muñoz,
2nd Cpl Flavio Oliva Pino,
2nd Cpl Erwin Núñez Rebolledo,
Cdt Rodrigo Fernández Apablaza,
José Cifuentes Juica.

Council of Culture:
Galia Diaz Riffo,
Romina Irarrázabal Faggiani.

Chilean National Television:
Felipe Camiroaga Fernández,
Roberto Bruce Pruzzo,
Sylvia Slier Munoz,
Caroline Gatica Aburto,
Rodrigo Cabezón de Amesti.

Members of the 'Desafío Levantemos Chile' NGO:
Felipe Cubillos Sigall,
Sebastián Correa Murillo,
Catalina Vela Montero,
Joel Lizama Nahuelhual,
Jorge Palma Calvo,
Joaquín Arnolds Reyes.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by the loss of control of the airplane while performing the tailwind leg through the channel between the islands of Robinson Crusoe and Santa Clara to an estimated height of 650 feet or less, during the circuit approach to Runway 32 in a very low trajectory (with little height difference above the runway), where very adverse airflow conditions were found, including wind shear, which exposed the crew to extreme flight conditions.
Adverse airflow conditions were the results of a combination of different factors, including:
- Very unstable atmosphere, with strong turbulence and possibly eventually powerful down gusts arising from the presence of open cells after a front passed,
- The presence of the two counter-rotating vortexes in the Santa Clara Island downwind wake,
- The presence of strong and gusty crosswinds that were very variable in strength and direction in a very short time.

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II in Valparaiso

Date & Time: Apr 15, 2011 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31 Cheyenne

Operator:

Línea de Aeroservicios - LASSA

Registration:

CC-CZC

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Robinson Crusoe Island - Valparaiso

MSN:

31-7920072

YOM:

1979

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7396

Captain / Total hours on type:

1092.00

Aircraft flight hours:

7168

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Robinson Crusoe Island on a cargo flight to Valparaiso, carrying one passenger, one pilot and a load consisting of 1,000 lbs of lobsters. Upon landing at Valparaiso Airport in good weather conditions, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway, crossed a road and came to rest in a wooded area located along the highway. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and both occupants escaped with minor injuries.

Probable cause:

The most likely cause of the accident would have been the loss of control of the aircraft when performing the flare, caused by a loss of lift (stall), because the CofG was beyond the rear limit.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The aircraft was unstable on its longitudinal axis because the CofG was too far aft,
- The cargo was not properly secured in the cabin.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 401A in the Pacific Ocean: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 2000

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 401

Operator:

Servicio Aéreo Ejecutivo

Registration:

CC-CBX

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Santiago - Robinson Crusoe Island

MSN:

401A-0121

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Santiago-Los Cerrillos Airport to Robinson Crusoe Island, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Pacific Ocean. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Luis Bochetti Melo,
Luis Bochetti del Canto.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo off Robinson Crusoe Island

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1991

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Línea Aérea Taxpa

Registration:

CC-CGP

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

31-597

YOM:

1970

Location:

Robinson Crusoe Island

Región de Valparaíso

Country:

Chile

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Robinson Crusoe Island, en route for the continent, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to ditch the aircraft about 13 km offshore. The crew of a fishing boat was able to rescue all four occupant while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 680 into the Pacific Ocean: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1972 at 1344 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Aero Commander 680

Operator:

Línea Aérea Taxpa

Registration:

CC-CEO

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Santiago - Valparaíso - Robinson Crusoe Island

MSN:

680-288-3

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane was completing a charter flight from Santiago de Chile to the Island of Robinson Crusoe on behalf of the Fishing Cooperative of Juan Fernandez. After departing Los Cerrillos Airport in Santiago, the pilot completed a technical stop at Valparaíso-Rodelillo Airport to refuel. While cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet about 330 km west the Chilean coast in strong west winds, the pilot informed ATC about an engine failure. Shortly later, the airplane crashed into the Pacific Ocean. SAR operations were conducted but no trace of the airplane nor the eight occupants was ever found.
Crew:
Germán Acevedo Salas, pilot.
Passengers:
Víctor Duque Martínez,
Eulogio Riveros,
Carmen Camacho,
Mónica Araya,
N. Araya,
Guillermina N. de Araya,
Varsovia N. de Recabarren.

Probable cause:

Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the engine failure was caused by fuel contaminated by water was not ruled out.