What happened
During a flight from Concepción to Santiago, a four-engine airplane was participating in 'Operation Unitas', a multinational naval training exercise involving the navies of Chile, Peru, and the United States. The aircraft was transporting eight crew members and eight passengers at the time of the accident.
As the flight approached Santiago-Pudahuel Airport, the crew encountered adverse weather conditions characterized by low visibility. In response to these environmental factors, the captain executed a go-around procedure. While the aircraft was performing a circling maneuver for a subsequent approach at an altitude of 2,600 feet, it collided with a mountain peak situated approximately 17 km south of the airport. The mountain's elevation was recorded at 3,000 feet.
The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. There were 16 fatalities and no survivors among the occupants.
Findings
- The crew attempted to navigate through poor visibility during the approach phase.
- The collision occurred while the aircraft was at an altitude below the height of the nearby terrain.