Accident
A twin-engine aircraft on a special flight from Tobalaba to Concepción crashed in a wooded area approximately 20 kilometers north of Concepción-Carriel Sur Airport, near Tomé. The accident occurred while the aircraft was descending to the airport in poor weather conditions. It struck tree tops before impacting the ground. All six occupants were killed.
The flight was carrying a team of five experts from Santo Tomás University, who were traveling to inspect installations in Concepción following the earthquake of February 27, 2010. The pilot was identified as Marcelo Ruiz. The passengers were Ernesto Videla, Pablo Desbordes, Ignacio Fernández, Rodolfo Becker, and Guillermo Moya.
Investigation
Investigators determined that the pilot continued the approach in low visibility and allowed the aircraft to descend below the minimum safe altitude. At the time of impact, the aircraft was 10 degrees off track (on the 017° radial) for a runway 20 approach conducted in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
Probable Cause
The official probable cause states that the accident was a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). Contributory factors included poor efficiency in the execution of procedures by the pilot during the approach in IMC and the pilot's relatively low experience on the aircraft type.