What happened
During a scheduled flight from Comodoro Rivadavia to Córdoba, which included a stop in Villa Reynolds, an aircraft carrying 48 passengers and five crew members struck a mountain. The passengers included several officers from the Air Force who were traveling to attend the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Argentinian Air Force Academy.
While the flight was navigating the airspace between Villa Reynolds and Córdoba, the aircraft encountered severe meteorological conditions. As it traversed a mountainous region, the flight experienced heavy rain, significant turbulence, and high winds. At an altitude of approximately 8,000 feet, the aircraft type (not specified) collided with the slope of Mt San Agustin, situated southeast of Villa Dolores.
Search teams located the debris the next morning, approximately 300 meters below the mountain summit. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate. There were 53 fatalities in the accident, which included 20 children.
Findings
- The flight encountered deteriorating weather conditions including rain and strong winds.
- The collision occurred while the aircraft was in the cruise phase of flight.