Date & Time:
Jan 9, 1964 at 0950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
LV-FYJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Santa Fe – Rosario – Buenos Aires
MSN:
14713/26158
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
143
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
27
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
30
Captain / Total hours on type:
5070
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1330
Aircraft flight hours:
31545
Circumstances:
The flight took off from Rosario at 09:01 for a flight to Buenos Aires, the last leg of a flight from Santa Fe to Buenos Aires. Flight plan altitude was 1200 m. Turbulence, however, forced the crew to climb to 1800 m and later to 2400 m. At 09:43 the pilot reported a localized fire in the cabin and reported that they intended to make an emergency landing at Zárate. The plane didn't make it to Zárate and was seen trying to make an emergency landing in a field, 9 km from Zárate. The plane struck the ground with the undercarriage, left wing and engine and started to disintegrate. A fire erupted, but didn't spread over the entire aircraft. A passenger was seriously injured while 30 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Impact with the ground, for reasons which could not be ascertained, during a precautionary landing. There were fumes or smoke in the cabin and No.2 engine was cut and its propeller was windmilling, due to oil leakage.
