What happened
On September 1, 2022, at approximately 14:20 local time, a Beechcraft BE-200 was conducting a non-scheduled passenger transport flight from Viña del Mar (SCVM) to Robinson Crusoe (SCIR). Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, while the aircraft was climbing through 18,000 feet, the crew experienced a gradual loss of cabin pressure.
In response to the depressurization, the pilot performed a left turn to return to the departure airfield. Because the cabin altitude did not reach the 12,500-foot threshold required for automatic deployment, the passenger oxygen masks did not activate. The aircraft subsequently landed safely at Viña del Mar without further incident. All two crew members and four passengers remained uninjured, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
The investigation
DGAC Chile investigators examined the aircraft at Arturo Merino Benítez Airport (SCEL) on September 5, 2022. The investigation reviewed maintenance logs, flight records, and the physical condition of the airframe.
Maintenance records indicated that the cabin altitude and oxygen system had been inspected on December 8, 2021, with no discrepancies noted. The pilot's pre-flight inspection on the day of the event also showed no issues. Following the event, the aircraft was flown to La Araucanía Airport (SCQP) for a detailed inspection. During this process, technicians identified a crack located at the rear upper part of the cabin door frame, specifically in the area of the latch pin roller anchor. A structural repair and resealing of the door were completed on September 2, 2022, followed by successful ground and flight tests.
Findings
- The loss of cabin pressure originated from a structural failure in the cabin door frame.
- A crack was identified at the anchor point of the latch pin roller on the upper rear section of the door reinforcement frame.
- The passenger oxygen masks did not deploy because the cabin altitude remained below the 12,500-foot automatic activation limit.
- The aircraft was operating under a valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and was authorized for non-scheduled passenger transport.