Accident Summary
A twin-engine charter airplane crashed near Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport in Antarctica, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft and the deaths of all ten persons on board.
Sequence of Events
The flight departed Punta Arenas, Chile, en route to Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport. The airplane carried two crew members—pilot Iván Martínez Díaz and copilot Armando Soto San Martín—and eight American tourists. On approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Marambio, where visibility was also limited. Unable to land at Marambio, the captain chose to return to Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport. While completing a visual approach in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the crew failed to maintain sufficient altitude. The aircraft struck a hill and crashed a few kilometers from the airfield.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The official investigation concluded that the probable cause of the accident was the crew's continuation of a visual flight rules (VFR) approach in IMC conditions until the aircraft impacted the ground.