Copiapó – Santiago

On June 15, 1953 at 12:00 AM, Copiapó – Santiago experienced a crash involving Lockheed 18 LodeStar, operated by LAN Chile - Linea Aérea Nacional de Chile, with the event recorded near Copiapó Región de Atacama.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

7 people were known to be on board, 7 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 5, passenger fatalities: 5, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Shortly after takeoff from Copiapó-Chamonate Airport, while climbing, the crew informed ground about engine problems and elected to return when the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion near the airport, killing all seven occupants.

Aircraft reference details include registration CC-CLD, MSN 2617, year of manufacture 1943.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -27.3584°, -70.3468°.