Tierra del Fuego

Río Grande-Gobernador Ramón Trejo Noel

Schedule:

Río Grande – San Fernando

MSN:

35-143

YOM:

1978

Location:

Tierra del Fuego

Country:

Argentina

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9338

Captain / Total hours on type:

2122.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

6913

Copilot / Total hours on type:

717

Aircraft flight hours:

13917

Aircraft flight cycles:

13170

Circumstances:

The airplane was returning to its base in San Fernando following an ambulance flight from Comodoro Rivadavia to Río Grande. After takeoff from Río Grande-Gobernador Ramón Trejo Noel Airport runway 26, while in initial climb, the airplane rolled to the left, nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion about 350 metres south from the runway 08 threshold. The wreckage was found 1,870 metres from the runway 26 threshold and 300 metres to its left. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Claudio Canelo, pilot,
Héctor Vittore, copilot.
Passengers:
Diego Ciolfi, doctor,
Denise Torres Garcá, nurse.

Crash of a Swearingen SA226T Merlin III in Ushuaia

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1996 at 1350 LT

Type of aircraft:

Swearingen SA226T Merlin III

Operator:

Alas del Sur

Registration:

LV-WLW

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Río Grande – Ushuaia

MSN:

T-230

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Ushuaia Airport, following an uneventful cargo flight from Río Grande, the twin engine aircraft collided with a flock of birds. The windshield was broken and the left engine lost power. The crew was able to continue the approach and landing. After touchdown, the aircraft went out of control and collided with a snow wall. Both pilots escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Bird strike on final approach.

Crash of a Boeing 737-287 in Ushuaia

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1988 at 1136 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 737-200

Operator:

Registration:

LV-LIU

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Buenos Aires – Bahia Blanca – Río Grande – Ushuaia

MSN:

20964

YOM:

1974

Flight number:

AR648

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Ushuaia Airport, the crew was informed about the weather conditions at destination: wind 230° at 12 knots, runway 16 in use, visibility 30 km, 3/8 SC at 1,200 meters, 2/8 CU at 1,500 meters, temperature 9° C, QNH 998,4 mb. After passing 8,000 feet on descent, the crew was cleared to land on runway 16 but the captain prefered to land on runway 34 as the last report indicated a wind from 360° gusting at 20 knots. Therefore, the crew was informed about possible windshear on approach. At an excessive speed of 140 knots (instead of the 128 knots as prescribed), the aircraft landed hard on runway 34 (positive acceleration of 1,89 G) and bounced. Out of control, it veered off runway, went down an embankment and came to rest in the sea (about two meters of water). All 62 occupants were evacuated, among them 13 were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed the aircraft at an excessive speed. The crew failed to use all available braking systems after touchdown, which was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B1A-H2 Turbo Porter in Trelew

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1986 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

0684/6-G-2

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2045

YOM:

1971

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air in Bahía Policarpo: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1986

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 200 Super King Air

Operator:

Registration:

0750/4-G-46

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

BB-543

YOM:

1979

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was engaged in a combined exercise with ships cruising off the coast of Tierra del Fuego. While cruising over the land in the region of Bahía Policarpo, it struck the slope of a mountain and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Silvestre,
1st Lt Siri.

Crash of a Learjet 35A off Ushuaia: 12 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1984 at 1700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 35

Operator:

Registration:

LV-TDF

Flight Phase:

Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Buenos Aires – Río Grande – Ushuaia

MSN:

35-478

YOM:

1982

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Jorge Newbery Airport on a flight to Ushuaia with an intermediate stop in Río Grande, carrying two pilots and 10 passengers, among them the Governor of the Province of Tierra del Fuego. Following a stop at Río Grande Airport where two passengers disembarked and two others boarded, the aircraft took off at 1638LT on the last leg to Ushuaia. On approach to Ushuaia Airport, the crew encountered limited visibility due to snow falls. On final in IMC conditions, the captain decided to continue under VFR mode but failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the water surface and crashed in the Beagle Canal, about 9 km east of the airport. The aircraft sank and all 12 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Mario Marconcini, pilot,
Rodolfo Pourrain, copilot.
Passengers:
Ramón Alberto Trejo Noel, Governor of the Province of Tierra del Fuego,
Mrs Ofelia Olga Lisa, Mr. Noel spouse,
Dr. Ernesto Julio Löffler,
Roberto Luis Campanella, Minister of Public Health and Social Action,
Fernando Diego García, Minister of Economy,
Ricardo Luis Sica, Private secretary of the Governor,
Guillermo Marcilese, General Secretary,
Carlos Alberto Lisa, Assessor,
Nora Ormiston, Assessor,
Pedro Alberto Altuna.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the pilot-in-command may suffered an optical illusion on final approach and continued the descent below MDA in marginal weather conditions until impact with water.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B1A-H2 Turbo Porter in Los Chorrilos: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1978

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

0674/6-G-1

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2034

YOM:

1971

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed for unknown reasons just after takeoff from a terrain located in Los Chorrilos, about 60 km northwest of Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego. Two passengers (Lt Julio César Alcaraz and Cpt Alberto Quevedo) were killed while three other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-1-DO Skymaster in Ushuaia

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

5-T-3

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

MSN:

27274

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Suffered an accident at Ushuaia Airport. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DL in Bahía Aguirre

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1962

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

0232

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9171

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Operated by the Argentinian Navy (Armada Argentina), the airplane registered 0232 (CTA-23) ran out of fuel. The crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing by the Bahía Aguirre, east of Ushuaia. Both crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-5-DC Skymaster in Ushuaia

Date & Time: Feb 29, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

4-T-2

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site: