Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando in Cochrane: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1981 at 1039 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
CC-CAT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cochrane - Villa O'Higgins
MSN:
33236
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a cargo flight from Cochrane to Villa O'Higgins, carrying six tons of various goods. After takeoff from Cochrane Airport, while initial climb, the airplane rolled to the right, lost height and crashed on a small hill located 3 km from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine after rotation for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Beechcraft E18S in Porvenir

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
CC-CAK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Porvenir – Punta Arenas
MSN:
BA-306
YOM:
1957
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
At liftoff, the right engine failed. The airplane banked right, causing the right main gear to struck the ground and to be torn off. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest. All 11 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine at takeoff for unknown reasons.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 near Santiago de Chile: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1980
Operator:
Registration:
943
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
396
YOM:
1974
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered technical problems and elected to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field located 40 km east of Santiago-Los Cerrillos Airport. A passenger was killed while 16 other occupants were injured, some of them seriously.

Crash of an IAI Arava 201 near Puerto Williams: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1979 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-MRX
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Río Gallegos – Ushuaia
MSN:
54
YOM:
1979
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Río Gallegos on a special flight to Ushuaia, carrying five members of the YPF and Hidronor Company who were completing visits of local oil fields. An ILS approach to Ushuaia Airport was initiated from the southeast. While descending, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane struck a hilly terrain and crashed about 20 km southeast of Ushuaia, about 25 km west of Puerto Williams, on Chilean territory. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Roberto Couceiro, pilot,
Vicente Sanz, copilot,
Guillermo Pérez, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Raúl Agustín Ondarts,
Carlos maria Sureda,
Guillermo Zubarán,
Luis Amílcar Medina,
Osvaldo Rubén Zenobi.

Crash of a Fairchild F27A in Iquique

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CC-CBR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
55
YOM:
1959
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after liftoff from runway 01, the crew raised the landing gear when the airplane stalled and struck the runway surface. It skidded for about 750 meters before coming to rest. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It is believed that one of the engine failed shortly after rotation.

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso A in Chiguayante: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1979 at 1520 LT
Registration:
CC-CDS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
CV-281
YOM:
1941
Flight number:
Canso 31
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a fire fighting mission under callsign 'Canso 31'. While approaching the fire zone at low height and ready to drop 5,000 liters of water, the airplane struck a pine tree with its left wing. Out of control, it crashed in a garden located in the district of Manquimávida, northeast of Chiguayante. Both pilots were killed instantly while the third occupant was seriously injured. He died while being transferred to the hospital.
Crew:
Carlos Paris Maldonado, pilot,
Rolf Taucher, copilot,
Jaime López Morales, observer.
Probable cause:
Poor judgement on part of the flying crew who failed to see and avoid obstacles while flying at low height.

Crash of a Douglas R6D-1 near Santiago de Chile: 16 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
131618
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Concepción – Santiago
MSN:
43721
YOM:
1953
Country:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane was flying from Concepción to Santiago and was carrying eight passengers and eight crew members taking part to 'Operation Unitas', a joint training exercise by the navies of the US, Peru and Chile. While approaching Santiago-Pudahuel Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Due to limited visibility, the captain decided to initiate a go-around manoeuvre. Few minutes later, while circling for another approach at an altitude of 2,600 feet, the airplane struck a mountain (3,000 feet high) located about 17 km south of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 16 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Grumman SHU-16B Albatross near Antofagasta: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1977
Operator:
Registration:
571
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Antofagasta - Antofagasta
MSN:
G-251
YOM:
1953
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Antofagasta Airport following a maritime patrol exercice. While descending at dusk, the seaplane struck the slope of Mt Moreno located about 12 km west of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Patricio de Andraca, pilot,
Lt Patricio Yánez, copilot,
Lt Raúl Castillo, navigator,
Osvaldo Alvarado, flight engineer,
Hernán González, radio operator,
Cpt José Gallardo, mechanic.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B in Puerto Montt: 38 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1977 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
989
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Punta Arenas – Puerto Montt – Santiago
MSN:
45534/1012
YOM:
1958
Country:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
75
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
38
Circumstances:
On approach to Puerto Montt-El Tepual Airport, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions with rain falls and a limited visibility due to the night. In unknown circumstances, the four engine airplane crashed in flames in a swampy area located five km short of runway. All seven crew members and 31 passengers were killed while 44 other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A off Quintero: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1975
Operator:
Registration:
125
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Quintero, killing all nine occupants.