What happened
On a flight originating from Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini Airport, an aircraft carrying four crew members, five passengers, and seven racehorses began its journey toward Lima, Peru, with a planned stop in Santiago de Chile. The flight initially proceeded under visual flight rules at an altitude of 3,000 meters amidst favorable weather. However, as the aircraft approached the San Luis region, meteorological conditions worsened significantly due to increased turbulence.
While maintaining a cruising altitude of 4,500 meters, the aircraft experienced a catastrophic mid-air breakup. The wreckage subsequently crashed onto a mountain slope in the vicinity of El Sosneado. Following the disappearance, search and rescue operations were launched but were terminated several days later after no survivors or debris could be located. It was not until 21 November 1961 that the wreckage was discovered in a remote area.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the aircraft encountered extremely violent turbulence, which subjected the airframe to mechanical stresses exceeding its structural design limits, leading to the in-flight disintegration. Several contributing factors were identified during the inquiry:
- The pilot had not sufficiently prepared for the flight conditions.
- There was a failure by the pilot to properly assess the prevailing weather.
- The seven horses being transported were not adequately secured within the cargo area.