San Miguel de Tucumán-Teniente Benjamin Matienzo | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The twin engine aircraft departed San Miguel de Tucumán-Teniente Benjamin Matienzo Airport at noon on a positioning flight to a private airstrip located in Estancia La Juliana, 75 km from there. Before departure, the crew was unable to add more fuel in the tanks because they did not have sufficient cash. At Estancia La Juliana, the crew waited for two hours before the owner of the farm was taken to another of his property in Estancia El Descanso, about 70 km from there. Again, the crew waited for two hours before the final flight back to San Miguel de Tucumán. The return flight was completed under VFR mode at an altitude of 3,500 feet. While approaching San Miguel de Tucumán-Teniente Benjamin Matienzo Airport, the crew declared an emergency after both engines stopped. In a flaps and gear up configuration, he attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft impacted a tree and crashed in an open field located near El Chañar, about 13 km northeast of the runway 20 threshold. All three occupants were injured, two seriously, and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure in flight due to a fuel exhaustion. Poor flight planning on part of the crew who failed to correctly calculate the amount of fuel necessary for all day trips.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Sabreliner 60 in Córdoba: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1998 at 2140 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Sabreliner 60

Operator:

Alas del Sur

Registration:

LV-WPO

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Salta – San Miguel de Tucumán – Córdoba

MSN:

306-3

YOM:

1967

Location:

Córdoba-Ambrosio Taravella (Pajas Blancas)

Córdoba

Country:

Argentina

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2082

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3084

Aircraft flight hours:

8587

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a cargo service from Salta to Córdoba with an intermediate stop in San Miguel de Tucumán, carrying one passenger and two pilots. En route to Córdoba, the crew was cleared to descend to an altitude of 8,000 feet and later for an ILS approach to runway 18. By night and IMC conditions, the aircraft descended below the MDA when it crashed in an open field located 11,4 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

By night and IMC conditions, the crew was unable to intercept the ILS for runway 18 and continued the descent below MDA until impact with the ground.

Final Report:

Crash of a Dassault Falcon 20C on Mt Chivilme: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1997 at 2211 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dassault Falcon 20

Operator:

Estornel Air Services

Registration:

LV-WLH

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Córdoba – San Miguel de Tucumán – Salta

MSN:

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

15118

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Córdoba to Salta with an intermediate stop in San Miguel de Tucumán, carrying two passengers and two pilots. The crew departed San Miguel de Tucumán-Teniente Benjamin Matienzo Airport at 2145LT and was cleared to climb to FL180. At 2201LT, the crew reported over PONPI VOR located 55 nm from Salta. Two minutes later, the crew was cleared to descent on top of the clouds in VMC conditions. While cruising at an altitude of 6,970 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Chivilme located 36,4 km southwest of Salta Airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all four occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Collision with a mountain during the descent prior to landing, while flying an instrument approach procedure other than the existing airport destination with errors in distances and heights. The following contributing factors were identified:
- Use of GPS as the primary instrument of navigation, when it should be used as a supplementary tool or reference,
- Lack of control over the instruments and procedures,
- Poor crew resources management,
- Placement of a fictitious point in the GPS with the name 'F-SAL' point which is easily confused with "SALT", the acronym of the Salta airport.

Crash of a Cessna T207 Turbo Skywagon in Vaqueros: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1993

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 207 Skywagon/Stationair

Operator:

Registration:

AE-220

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

San Miguel de Tucumán – Salta

MSN:

207-0336

YOM:

1976

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Salta Airport, the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Vaqueros, about 20 km north of the airport. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 690C Jetprop 840 in Irigoyen

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1981 at 1915 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Gulfstream 690C Jetprop 840

Operator:

Registration:

LV-OEV

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Buenos Aires – San Miguel de Tucumán

MSN:

690-11628

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane departed Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Jorge Newbury Airport on a flight to San Miguel de Tucumán. En route, the pilot encountered technical problems and was cleared to divert to Paraná Airport. On descent, he was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field located in Irigoyen, about 7 km northeast of Paraná Airport. All four occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in San Miguel de Tucumán: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1975 at 1305 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

TC-62

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

San Miguel de Tucumán – La Rioja – San Juan – El Palomar

MSN:

4309

YOM:

1968

Location:

San Miguel de Tucumán-Teniente Benjamin Matienzo

Tucumán

Country:

Argentina

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

114

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was flying back to El Palomar Airbase in Buenos Aires with intermediate stops in La Rioja and San Juan, carrying 114 policemen (Argentine Federal Police) who were returning to their base after an intervention in the Tucumán Province. During the takeoff roll, after a course of 800 meters and at a speed of 200 km/h, the pilot started the rotation when an explosion occurred on the runway surface approximately 100 meters in front of him. While climbing to a height of some 12-15 meters, the aircraft was hit by debris and the denotation. Control was lost and the airplane crashed in flames 400 meters further. 115 occupants were evacuated, 29 of them were injured. Six policemen were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control during takeoff following a bomb explosion that was placed on the runway pavement. Investigations determined that a plan was to set off an explosive charge in the form of a conical tip placed below the runway when the C-130 was to be at full throttle during takeoff. Named 'Operation Gardel', the action was planned by the Peronist guerilla organization 'Montoneros'. Near the middle of the runway some 1,100 meters away from the northern end and 1,000 from the southern, a disused sewer led to a storm drain. A cable was laid through the 250 meter tunnel, emerging from the storm drain and connecting the charge to the 12V battery of a parked vehicle. The switch would be activated from a nearby pit.