1950-03-22: Avro 694 Lincoln (B-019) — Argentinian Air Force - Fuerza Aérea Argentina — Mt Roncagly Ewn, Chile

11 fatalitiesMt Roncagly Ewn, ChileFlight

An aircraft disappeared while descending toward Ushuaia, with its wreckage only being located over three decades after the initial disappearance.

What happened

During a flight originating from Río Gallegos and bound for Ushuaia, the crew reported their position directly above Lake Fagnano. Shortly thereafter, while maintaining an altitude of approximately 600 meters, the aircraft struck the slopes of Mount Roncagly Ewn. The impact occurred in an area situated near the Almirantazgo fjord within southern Chile.

Following the disappearance, search and rescue operations were initiated to locate the missing plane and its occupants. However, these efforts were terminated several days later because no evidence of the wreckage or the personnel could be found at that time. The site of the accident remained undiscovered for 33 years, until hikers located the debris in 1983 in a remote region west of Ushuaia.

Findings

The investigation concluded that the accident was the result of controlled flight into terrain.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck the side of a mountain during its descent.