Cessna 172N Accident at Cañal Bajo Airport, Osorno, Chile

Incident Overview and Flight Details On February 10, 2022, a private pilot departed from Aeródromo Cañal Bajo - Carlos Hott Siebert (SCJO) in Osorno, Chile, operating a Cessna 172N for a local flight to the Purranque sector. After approximately 30 minutes of flight, the pilot returned to the departure aerodrome. During the final approach to runway 15, the aircraft was configured with 20 degrees of flap and maintained a descent rate of 500 feet per minute. The pilot reported using the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lights, which indicated a normal glide path with two red and two white lights. ## Accident Sequence and Damage The air traffic controller at SCJO observed the aircraft on a normal approach until it was near the runway threshold, when the right wing suddenly banked. The pilot stated that a wind condition rapidly displaced the aircraft to the right and caused it to descend beyond the planned path. The aircraft lost control in flight, with the right wing and propeller contacting the terrain. The nose gear detached, and the aircraft came to rest 20 meters from the edge of runway 15. The pilot was uninjured. The aircraft sustained significant damage, including both propeller blades bent backward, a damaged carburetor and air intake, a deformed fuselage underside, and structural damage to the right wing. The nose gear assembly was detached from the structure, and the right main gear wheel fairing was broken. ## Aircraft and Operational Information The Cessna 172N, serial number 17271580, was manufactured in 1979 and had 4,829.8 flight hours. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-D2J engine and equipped with a McCauley 1C160/DTM 7557 M1 propeller. The aircraft used 100LL aviation gasoline, with approximately 50 liters found in the tanks. Maintenance records were current, with the last inspection conducted on October 26, 2021. The pilot, a 52-year-old Chilean national, held a private pilot license for single-engine land aircraft and had 159:45 total flight hours.