Flight Sequence
On 25 September 2022 at 20:45 UTC, a Cessna A-182-N Skylane, registration LV-JED, departed from the private Campo San José airstrip near Morteros, Córdoba province, for a recreational flight and photography session over the Laguna Mar Chiquita area. The aircraft was a single-engine, four-seat airplane.
After approximately 25 minutes of flight, the pilot noticed a loss of engine power and abrupt accelerations. In response, the pilot decided to perform an emergency landing on the east coast of Laguna Mar Chiquita, about 43 kilometers from the departure airstrip. The terrain was flat and unobstructed. The aircraft touched down and slid several meters before coming to a complete stop on soft ground. During the landing roll, the propeller struck the ground and the engine stopped abruptly.
Damage and Occupants
The accident resulted in light damage to the propeller and the nose landing gear. The aircraft was classified as having minor damage. There were six persons on board: one pilot and five passengers. All occupants were uninjured.
Search and Rescue
At 21:33 UTC, the search and rescue service (SAR) of the Empresa Argentina de Navegación Aérea (EANA) received an activation of the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) from the Argentine Air Force's Centro de Control de Misión Argentina (ARMCC). Simultaneously, the accident aircraft communicated via radio with another aircraft conducting a commercial flight over the Laguna Mar Chiquita area, which relayed the accident location.
The Córdoba Area Control Center (ACC) passed the information to SAR, which contacted the fire station in Morteros and requested deployment of resources to recover the six occupants. Firefighters from San Guillermo, Santa Fe province, also joined the search and rescue efforts.
At 00:30 UTC, SAR received confirmation from firefighters that five occupants had been rescued, all in good health. One adult had left the accident site to seek assistance. By 01:40 UTC, firefighters located and recovered the missing adult, who was also in good health, ending the rescue operation.