What happened
On April 16, 2019, a Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2B-27 (Islander) departed from runway 01 at Aeródromo Marcel Marchant (SCPF) in Puerto Montt, Chile. The flight was intended to be an unscheduled passenger transport service to Aeródromo Ayacara. Approximately 36 seconds after takeoff, the pilot notified air traffic services that the aircraft was returning to the airfield, though no emergency was declared and no reason for the return was provided.
During the return maneuver, the aircraft entered a left turn toward the west and lost altitude, ultimately impacting a private residence located approximately 45 and 450 meters west of the aerodrome. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft and heavily damaged nearby homes and electrical infrastructure. The crash resulted in six fatalities—the pilot and five passengers—and left a pedestrian with serious injuries.
The investigation
DGAC Chile investigators examined the wreckage and the aircraft's maintenance history. Although the intense fire melted many aluminum components, making functional tests of flight controls impossible, several key findings were established. Inspections of the engines by the manufacturer in the United States confirmed that both Lycoming engines were capable of producing power prior to the impact and had no mechanical failures that would have prevented operation.
Investigators also analyzed the propellers. The left propeller was found to have been rotating under power at the moment of impact, while the right propeller was in a non-feathered position and had stopped, which increased aerodynamic drag. The aircraft's weight and balance were within limits, and the fuel used was verified as appropriate 100LL aviation gasoline without contamination.
Findings
- The aircraft was equipped with a modified fuel system (NB/M/364) featuring additional wingtip tanks that require manual selection by the pilot.
- While the left engine was receiving fuel from the wingtip tank, the investigation could not determine the exact state of the right-side fuel selector due to fire damage.
- Witnesses reported engine power fluctuations and unusual noises; investigators concluded that while no mechanical engine failure occurred, these symptoms were likely associated with the fuel supply to the engines.
- The aircraft's maintenance was up to date, with the last inspection completed only nine hours of flight time prior to the accident.