Accident Details
On the day of the accident, a twin-engine aircraft departed Melinka Airport at 1200 local time on a taxi flight to Quellón, carrying seven passengers and one pilot. Eight minutes after departure, the pilot reported the aircraft's position at 6,500 feet approximately 20 nautical miles south of the destination. At 1214, six minutes later, the pilot reported being at 3,000 feet some 10 nautical miles southwest of Quellón. Shortly thereafter, radar and radio contact were lost when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain in the Piedra Blanca Mountain Range. The wreckage was located 15 kilometers southwest of Quellón. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces, and all eight occupants were killed. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were poor, with rain, fog, and strong winds.
Investigation
Investigators from the relevant authority examined the wreckage and available flight data. The official investigation determined that the flight was conducted under visual flight rules (VFR) despite instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) in the area.
Probable Cause
Controlled flight into terrain following the decision of the pilot to continue the flight under VFR mode in IMC conditions. The following contributing factors were identified: - Cloudy conditions affecting the area where the accident occurred, - Entering IMC conditions without clearance, - Not maintaining the flight under VFR.