What happened
On June 7, 2008, at approximately 13:50 local time, a Cessna 208B, registration CC-CTR, crashed into mountains roughly 18 kilometers west of La Junta, Chile. The aircraft, operated by Patagonia Airlines, was performing an unscheduled passenger flight from Puerto Montt-Marcel Marchant Airport (SCPF) to La Junta Airport (SCLJ).
The flight departed Puerto Montt at 13:17. After the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination within its 3-hour and 30-minute endurance, search and rescue operations were initiated. Although an emergency locator transmitter signal was detected, heavy weather prevented crews from locating the wreckage for several days. The aircraft was eventually found on June 11, 2008.
The accident resulted in 1 fatality for the pilot and 9 minor injuries among the passengers. At the time of the impact, the aircraft was operating under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).