What happened
During a positioning flight from Buenos Aires-San Fernando Airport toward Río Gallegos, an aircraft operated by two pilots experienced significant engine performance issues during the takeoff roll. After traveling 380 metres, the pilot-in-command observed that the left engine N1 had reached 101%, whereas the right engine was at 95%. As the aircraft began to veer toward the right side of the runway, the copilot initiated an aborted takeoff without notifying the captain. The power levers were returned to idle, and braking was applied.
As the aircraft continued its roll, reaching approximately 980 metres, the right engine N1 decreased to between 30% and 40%, while the left engine remained at 101%. At this stage, the captain assumed control of the aircraft and briefly deployed the thrust reverser system as the plane drifted off the runway to the right. The aircraft entered a grassy area and struck a drainage ditch located 80 metres from the runway edge. The impact caused the loss of the undercarriage, and the aircraft slid for several dozen metres before a post-crash fire erupted. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries as both crew members evacuated the aircraft type successfully before the fire destroyed the airframe.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a significant asymmetry in engine power between the left and right engines during the takeoff roll.
- The pilot-in-command attempted to abort the takeoff without communicating the decision to the other crew member.
- The loss of thrust on the right engine further contributed to the directional instability of the aircraft.