1987-03-20: Beechcraft 80 Queen Air (CC-CDW) — Aeroguayacán — San Felipe, Chile

8 fatalitiesSan Felipe, ChileLanding (descent or approach)

A twin-engine aircraft crashed in a peach plantation during an emergency approach to San Felipe Airport following engine issues.

What happened

On a scheduled flight from La Serena-La Florida Airport to Santiago de Chile, the crew of a twin engine aircraft experienced mechanical difficulties approximately 45 minutes after takeoff. Following the onset of engine problems, an emergency was declared, and air traffic control authorized a diversion to San Felipe Airport.

During the approach to the diversion airfield, the aircraft lost airspeed and entered a stall. The plane subsequently impacted a peach plantation situated roughly 10 km from the airport, resulting in a post-impact fire. Of the nine people on board, there were eight fatalities and one passenger sustained serious injuries.

Findings

Investigations into the crash determined that the primary factor was a simultaneous failure of both engines. This loss of power was attributed to fuel exhaustion during the flight.

Probable cause

The dual engine failure was caused by the aircraft running out of fuel.