Region
South America

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in Mercedes

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1961
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.104 Dove
Operator:
Registration:
S-3
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
04231
YOM:
1949
Location:
Mercedes
Buenos Aires province
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Belly landed at Mercedes Airport while completing an ambulance flight. There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Morane-Saulnier M.S.760 Paris IA in Mendoza: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Morane-Saulnier M.S.760 Paris
Operator:
Registration:
E-203
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
A-07
YOM:
1959
Location:
Mendoza
Mendoza
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing both pilots.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5 Mariner off Puerto Belgrano NAS

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
2-P-206
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
11481
Location:
Puerto Belgrano NAS
Buenos Aires province
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed into the Bahía Blanca shortly after takeoff from Puerto Belgrano NAS. All 10 crew members were rescued while the seaplane was written off.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian IV in San Andres de Giles: 31 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1960 at 1950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 691 Lancastrian
Operator:
Registration:
T-102
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lima – Antofagasta – El Palomar
MSN:
1464
YOM:
1946
Location:
San Andres de Giles
Buenos Aires province
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was completing a flight from Lima to El Palomar Airbase in Buenos Aires with an intermediate stop at Antofagasta on behalf of the Correo Aéreo Militar al Exterior (CAME). While approaching Buenos Aires from the west, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when control was lost. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a field located in San Andres de Giles, about 80 km west of El Palomar Airbase. The aircraft was destroyed and all 31 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control occurred while the crew was flying under VFR mode in IMC conditions.

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:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Santiago de Chile – Lima
MSN:
22554
YOM:
1945
Location:
El Sosneado
Mendoza
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
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 an Avro 694 Lincoln IIA in Mendoza

Date & Time: May 3, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Avro 694 Lincoln
Operator:
Registration:
B-026
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1502
Location:
Mendoza
Mendoza
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1850
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff. Crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in San Juan

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1960
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.104 Dove
Operator:
Servicio Especializado de Carga Aérea - SECA
Registration:
LV-YAU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
04192
YOM:
1948
Location:
San Juan
San Juan
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in San Juan while performing a cargo flight. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Azul

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Líneas Aéreas de Cuyo
Registration:
LV-GMF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2545
YOM:
1943
Location:
Azul
Buenos Aires province
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing in Azul for undetermined reason. The airplane belly landed in a field and came to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4 in Buenos Aires

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1960 at 1145 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.106 Comet
Operator:
Registration:
LV-AHO
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - Buenos Aires
MSN:
6410
YOM:
1959
Location:
Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini
Buenos Aires City
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini. Following several maneuvers in the area, the crew started a new approach. The aircraft landed hard, causing the undercarriage to puncture the wings and the fuel tanks. The aircraft bounced then swung on runway before coming to rest in flames. While all six crew members were slightly injured, the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the instructor who adopted a too high descent angle and failed to flare according to the published procedures.

Crash of a Convair CV-240-6 in Mendoza

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-240
Operator:
Registration:
LV-ADM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
35
YOM:
1948
Location:
Mendoza
Mendoza
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from runway 18 at Mendoza-El Plumerillo, the crew climbed to the altitude of 6,000 feet when the hydraulic pressure on the right engine failed. The crew decided to return to Mendoza for a safe landing but was unable to lower the gear. Shortly later, as a propeller was windmilling, causing drag, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing in a field. The airplane crash landed in a vineyard located few km from the airfield and came to rest. There were no casualties but the airplane was written off.
Probable cause:
The pilot's non-compliance with instructions in the Linea Argentina manual for effecting an emergency landing on account of loss of hydraulic fluid, and error of judgement in deciding on operation with one motor stopped and the hydraulic system out of action, when he had both the height and the time to manoeuvre.
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