What happened
The aircraft departed Santiago on a scheduled cargo mission bound for Arica. During the cruise phase over the Andes Mountains, the plane disappeared from radar and communication contact. Because the aircraft did not reach its destination, search and rescue operations were launched immediately. These efforts continued for several days but were eventually suspended when no trace of the machine or the four crew members could be located.
In February 1941, hikers discovered the wreckage on the slope of Mount Mercedario in the western sector of the Argentinian Andes. The site was remote and difficult to access, which likely contributed to the delay in locating the debris field after the initial disappearance.