What happened
On October 5, 2022, at approximately 20:40 UTC, a private Beechcraft C90B, registration LV-CAQ, was conducting an executive general aviation flight from El Plumerillo International Airport in Mendoza to San Fernando Airport. Shortly after takeoff, the crew identified a malfunction within the aircraft's air conditioning system. In response to this technical issue, the pilot declared an emergency and initiated a return to the departure airfield.
The aircraft landed safely at El Plumerillo International Airport without further incident or damage to the airframe. There were no injuries reported among the two occupants on board during the event.
The investigation
The Argentine Transportation Safety Board (JST) reviewed the circumstances surrounding the technical failure. The investigation focused on the malfunction of the aircraft's climate control components during the initial climb and cruise phase of the flight. Following an assessment of the event's characteristics, the national directorate determined that the occurrence did not present significant operational safety lessons or meet the specific criteria required for a full-scale standardized investigation.