What happened
A charter flight departed from Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Jorge Newbury Airport at 22:53 local time, en route to San Carlos de Bariloche. During the night-time ILS approach toward runway 28, the crew experienced difficulties receiving the ILS signal. In response to these technical issues, the captain elected to perform a go-around.
Shortly after this maneuver, the aircraft began a descent that was significantly steeper than intended, descending at 2,200 feet per minute rather than the necessary 750 feet per minute. This rapid descent caused the plane to drop below the minimum altitude required for safety. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground approximately 21 km east of the airport. The impact resulted in the deaths of 46 people, including all five crew members and 41 passengers, while 33 others sustained injuries. The airframe was completely destroyed.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the accident occurred because the aircraft struck the terrain during its final approach to Bariloche. This was driven by an improper and early descent that breached safety altitude limits. The investigation identified a procedural error where the crew abandoned the standard ILS procedure, a decision heavily influenced by the loss of the VOR signal and potentially impacted by the pilot-in-command's mental state.