Accident Details
On February 7, 2005, at approximately 0634 Atlantic standard time, a Cessna 340, registered as N5790M, impacted terrain in a mountainous area in Mendoza, Argentina. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Ward County Irrigation District N°1. Both the pilot and copilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed.
Flight Information
The flight originated from Aerodrome San Rafael (SAMR), Argentina, earlier that day at an unspecified time. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight plan information is unknown.
Mission
According to the initial notification from Argentina's Junta de Investigaciones de Accidentes de Aviacion Civil (JIAAC), the airplane was engaged in a cloud-seeding mission intended to prevent thunderstorms from developing in the agricultural area.
Registration and Operator
The aircraft carried the registration N5790M and was operated by Ward County Irrigation District N°1.