Santiago de Chile | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

A Douglas DC-3C passenger plane, operated by LAN Chile, was destroyed when it impacted a mountainside near Linares, Chile. LAN flight 621 was a domestic passenger flight from Castro to Santiago with en route stops at Puerto Montt, Osorno and Temuco. On board the flight were eight players and the trainer of the Green Cross football team. The DC-3 took off from Temuco at 18:30 hours local time for the last leg of the flight, following Airway 45 and 40 at an altitude of 8,500 feet. Estimated flying time was 2 hours and 30 minutes. While en route the flight was instructed to climb to 9,500 feet because of other traffic at 8500 feet. At 19:10 the crew requested a descent to 9,000 feet because of ice formation on the wings. The controller didn't authorize the descent because of conflicting traffic (LAN flight 205) on Airway 4. The controller later cleared the flight to turn back on Airway 45 and then descend to 6,500 feet on the same Airway, pass over Curico and to continue on Airway 40 to the Santo Domingo beacon. There was no more radio contact with the flight. After seven days of search operations, the wreckage was found on April 10. The airplane had impacted Cerro La Gotera, a mountain located in a sector of Sierra de las Ánimas, and east-northeast of a hill named Lástimas del Pejerrey. The aircraft was flying in a south-westerly direction, impacting 50 m below the summit of the mountain, at an elevation of about 3,500 m (11,480 feet). The wreckage slid down about 14 meters before coming to rest.

Probable cause:

The aircraft crashed on La Gotera Hill in the Lastima-Pejerrey Range. From the wreckage's position it was determined that the flight was on a south-west heading, although owing to the aircraft's being entirely destroyed and burnt out it was not possible to state its speed or altitude, or whether the left engine had failed. At impact it appeared that the right engine was functioning normally. It was not possible to determine the cause of the accident from the navigation instruments or the wreckage.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando near El Sosneado: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1960 at 1530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Transamerican Air Transport

Registration:

LV-GGJ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Buenos Aires – Santiago de Chile – Lima

MSN:

22554

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini Airport at 1104LT with a crew of four, five passengers and seven race horses that should be delivered in Lima, Peru. An intermediate stop was scheduled at Santiago de Chile. The crew continued the flight under VFR at 3,000 meters in good weather conditions but while approaching the region of San Luis, weather deteriorated with turbulences and poor conditions. While cruising at an altitude of 4,500 meters, the airplane disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed on the slope of a mountain located near El Sosneado. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was spotted on 21 November 1961 in an isolated area.
Crew:
Pedro Lafuente, pilot,
Fermín Gómez, copilot,
Domingo Vacarelli, mechanic,
Oscar Carballo, navigator.
Paasengers:
Sergio Etcheverry,
Carlos Luján,
Pedro Puccineri,
Omar Silva,
Raúl Díaz.

Probable cause:

The aircraft flew into extremely violent turbulence, was subjected to stresses greater than those for which it was designed, and in-flight structural failure resulted. Contributing causes were:
- Insufficient flight preparation,
- Failure of the pilote to familiarize himself with the prevailing weather conditions,
- The horses were improperly secured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK on Mt Osorno: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1959 at 1349 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

952

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Santiago – Punta Arenas

MSN:

12976

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Santiago to Punta Arenas, the aircraft struck the slope of the volcano Osorno (2,652 meters high). The wreckage was spotted by the crew of a Chilean Army helicopter two days later. All seven occupants were killed in the accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Batuco: 14 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1954 at 1310 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

956

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Santiago – Iquique

MSN:

4470

YOM:

1942

Location:

Batuco

Región Metropolitana de Santiago

Country:

Chile

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Santiago Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed in Batuco, about 16 km north of the airfield. All 14 occupants were killed. The airplane was performing a flight from Santiago to Iquique, carrying 9 passengers, a crew of five and 2,5 tons of meat on behalf of the national carrier LAN Chile.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-56-23 LodeStar in Copiapó: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1953

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

CC-CLD

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Copiapó – Santiago

MSN:

2617

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Copiapó-Chamonate Airport, while climbing, the crew informed ground about engine problems and elected to return when the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion near the airport, killing all seven occupants.

Probable cause:

Engine problems.

Crash of an Avro 685 York I in Caravelas: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Avro 685 York

Operator:

Registration:

G-AHEX

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

London – Lisbon – Bathurst – Natal – Rio de Janeiro – Santiago de Chile

MSN:

1301

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Rio de Janeiro, the tire on the right main gear burst. The crew continued the takeoff procedure and after departure, the copilot and the flight engineer proceeded to a visual control of the right main gear and did not notice anything unusual. After three hours and a half into the flight, the engine number three caught fire. The captain started an emergency descent and elected to land in Caravelas. On touchdown in a field, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest in flames. Three passengers were killed while 12 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Fire on board the aircraft while in flight. The secondary cause as the bursting of a tire of starboard wheel resulting in damage to the undercarriage and to the oil system installation, and which occurred when taking off. The tread of the burst tire tore off the hydraulic jack bracing struts, which were forced into the nacelle of the engine, causing damage to the oil system installation so that the oil emptied out, and resulting in possible further damage to the propeller feathering system. Owing to the lack of oil, caused by seepage, the connecting rods were torn out, contributing to an excessive increase in speed. In this way the uncontrolled propeller and the resulting overspeeding caused the engine to break apart, allowing the outbreak of fire, whose intensity was aggravated by the large quantity of oil round the nacelle of the n° 3 engine.

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:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

London – Lisbon – Banjul – Natal – Buenos Aires – Santiago de Chile

MSN:

1280

YOM:

1945

Flight number:

CS59

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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:

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-5-DC near Mendoza

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1946 at 1700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

42-72552

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Mendoza – Santiago de Chile

MSN:

10657

YOM:

1945

Location:

Mendoza

Country:

Argentina

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Mendoza-El Plumerillo Airport, while climbing, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in flames on the slope of Cerro El Pelado located about 30 km northwest of Mendoza. All nine occupants were rescued, seven of them were seriously injured. All crew were members were attached to the American Mission in Panama and were engaged in an equipment delivery mission to all US Embassies in South America.
Photos Policia de Mendoza via Lt Col John Martin, USAF

Crash of a Potez 56 in Quilitapia: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Potez 56

Operator:

Registration:

CC-LNN

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Santiago – Iquique

MSN:

3962

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, while flying too low, the twin engine aircraft hit tree tops, lost a wing and crashed in flames in a ravine near Quilitapia, some 100 km south of Coquimbo. All six occupants were killed, among them the pilot David Vivero Carrasco.

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