What happened
A cargo operation traveling from Santiago de Chile to Buenos Aires ended in a fatal accident during the landing phase. The aircraft, a cargo carrier transporting 30 tons of fish, was performing its final approach to runway 11 at Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini Airport. While maintaining a speed of 151 knots, the crew performed a series of rapid flap extensions, moving from 14° to 25°, 40°, and eventually 50°.
This sequence of configuration changes resulted in a sudden nose-down pitch, initiating a rapid descent. The aircraft struck the ground approximately 750 metres before reaching the runway threshold. The force of the impact caused the airframe to break into three distinct sections, which subsequently ignited. The accident resulted in two fatalities and six injuries among the eight crew members on board.
Findings
- The rapid extension of flaps to 50° during the final approach caused the aircraft to lose pitch stability and enter a steep descent.