What happened
During the descent toward Ushuaia Airport, the flight crew received updated meteorological reports regarding the destination. While the active runway was initially identified as 16 with stable conditions, subsequent reports indicated a wind shift to 360° with gusts reaching 20 knots. In response to these changing conditions, the captain elected to land on runway 34 instead of the originally cleared runway 16, despite being alerted to the potential for windshear during the approach.
The aircraft approached the runway at a speed of 140 knots, which exceeded the prescribed landing speed of 128 knots. This high-speed arrival resulted in a heavy touchdown on runway 34, generating a positive acceleration of 1.89 G and causing the plane to bounce. Following this impact, the aircraft lost directional control and veered off the paved surface. The vessel traveled down an embankment before coming to a stop in the sea, submerged under approximately two meters of water.
All 62 occupants were successfully evacuated from the wreckage. Among those rescued, 13 individuals sustained injuries. The aircraft was completely destroyed during the excursion.
Findings
Investigation into the accident identified that the crew utilized an incorrect approach configuration, specifically maintaining an excessive airspeed during the landing phase. Additionally, the crew did not employ all available braking systems following the touchdown, which contributed to the loss of control.