Fatal aircraft accident off Mar del Plata coast

10 fatalities • Mar del Plata, Argentina • Takeoff (climb)

An aircraft crashed into the sea near Mar del Plata after losing control during a night climb following takeoff.

What happened

During a nighttime departure from Mar del Plata-Brigadier General Bartolomé de la Colina Airport, an aircraft entered a fatal sequence of events while ascending. Following standard procedures, the pilot-in-command initiated a turn during the climb phase. During this maneuver, the aircraft experienced a loss of control, leading to an aerodynamic stall.

The plane subsequently impacted the ocean at a distance of approximately three kilometers from the coastline. There were ten fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft, with no survivors reported from the crash site.

Findings

Official investigations into the accident were unable to establish a definitive cause for the loss of control. However, investigators noted that spatial disorientation involving the pilot-in-command is a suspected contributing factor in the crash.

Probable cause

The precise cause remains undetermined, though pilot spatial disorientation is suspected.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1959-05-15 Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) accident near Mar del Plata, Argentina?

An aircraft crashed into the sea near Mar del Plata after losing control during a night climb following takeoff.

Were there any fatalities in the 1959-05-15 Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 10 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1959-05-15 involved a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), registration LV-AFW, operated by Aerolineas Argentinas, at Mar del Plata, Argentina.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The precise cause remains undetermined, though pilot spatial disorientation is suspected.

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