Accident Details
A firefighting aircraft, operating under the callsign 'Canso 31', was on a mission to combat a wildfire. As the crew approached the fire zone at low height, preparing to release 5,000 liters of water, the left wing of the aircraft struck a pine tree. The collision caused the aircraft to lose control and crash into a garden in the Manquimávida district, northeast of Chiguayante.
Fatalities
The aircraft carried three crew members: pilot Carlos Paris Maldonado, copilot Rolf Taucher, and observer Jaime López Morales. Both pilots were killed instantly upon impact. The observer sustained serious injuries and died while being transported to a hospital.
Probable Cause
According to official findings, the probable cause of the accident was poor judgment on the part of the flying crew, who failed to see and avoid obstacles while flying at low height.