Accident Description
On the morning of March 24, the wreckage of a twin-engine aircraft was discovered on the north slope of Macá volcano, approximately 10 km northeast of Puerto Aguirre, at an altitude of 2,347 meters. The aircraft had been performing an ambulance flight from Punta Arenas to Santiago with two pilots, a patient, three doctors, and two relatives on board—eight occupants in total. The flight had proceeded uneventfully at flight level 280 (FL280) until the crew was cleared to descend. While in contact with Puerto Montt air traffic control (ATC), the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and dove into the ground. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and all eight occupants were killed.
Investigation
Official investigation into the accident determined that the exact cause could not be established. The aircraft's twin-engine configuration and its role as an ambulance flight were noted, but no specific factors were identified as causal.