What happened
During a nighttime descent toward Bahía Blanca-Comandante Espora Airport, air traffic control notified the flight crew that fog had reduced visibility to 200 meters, which was below established landing minima. Despite these conditions, the captain elected to proceed with an approach to runway 34. After passing the middle marker, the pilot identified the runway lights and transitioned to a visual approach.
During this phase of flight, the crew lost visual contact with the terrain. The aircraft type struck the ground approximately 25 meters before reaching the runway threshold and 200 meters left of the extended centerline. The force of the impact caused the right wing to separate from the fuselage and resulted in the loss of the landing gear. Despite the structural damage, all 39 occupants were successfully evacuated without any reported fatalities or injuries.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the accident was the result of the captain utilizing an incorrect approach configuration by choosing to attempt a landing while weather conditions were below the required visibility minimums.