Punta Arenas - Teniente Marsh
Flight / Schedule
Punta Arenas - Teniente Marsh
Aircraft
Cessna 404 TitanRegistration
CC-CHX
MSN
404-0684
Year of Manufacture
1980
Operator
Linea Aérea Aeropetrel - AeropetrelDate
December 31, 1985 at 08:00 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Teniente Rodolfo Marsh-Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva (King George Island) All Antarctica
Region
Antarctica • Antarctica
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On December 31, 1985 at 08:00 PM, Punta Arenas - Teniente Marsh experienced a crash involving Cessna 404 Titan, operated by Linea Aérea Aeropetrel - Aeropetrel, with the event recorded near Teniente Rodolfo Marsh-Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva (King George Island) All Antarctica.
The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
10 people were known to be on board, 10 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: 8, passenger fatalities: 8, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The twin engine airplane departed Punta Arenas on a charter flight to Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport, carrying two crew members and eight American tourists. On approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Marambio where the visibility was also limited. As the crew was unable to land in Marambio, the captain decided to return to Teniente Rodolfo Marsh. While completing a visual approach in IMC conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck a hill and crashed few km from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed. Crew: Iván Martínez Díaz, pilot, Armando Soto San Martín, copilot.
Aircraft reference details include registration CC-CHX, MSN 404-0684, year of manufacture 1980.
Fatalities
Total
10
Crew
2
Passengers
8
Other
0
Crash Summary
The twin engine airplane departed Punta Arenas on a charter flight to Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport, carrying two crew members and eight American tourists. On approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Marambio where the visibility was also limited. As the crew was unable to land in Marambio, the captain decided to return to Teniente Rodolfo Marsh. While completing a visual approach in IMC conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck a hill and crashed few km from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed. Crew: Iván Martínez Díaz, pilot, Armando Soto San Martín, copilot.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
2
Passengers On Board
8
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 10
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Punta Arenas - Teniente Marsh
Operator
Linea Aérea Aeropetrel - AeropetrelFlight Type
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
Antarctica • Antarctica
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Hvalfangstselskapet Kosmos
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
The Norwegian aviator Lief Lier was taking part to a complete season (year 1929/1930) of research over Antarctica to localise whales on behalf of the Hvalfangstselskapet Kosmos (Kosmos Whales Company). The airplane was on its way with two people on board, the pilot Lief Lier and Ingvald Schreiner, doctor of the expedition. At the end of the day, the airplane failed to return to the boat and SAR operations were initiated. They were abandoned a week later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Byrd Antarctic Expedition
Fokker F14
Crashed for unknown reason while taking off from the Little America Camp. There were no casualties.
United States Navy - USN
Martin PBM Mariner
Hit the ice and crashed on Thurston Island, Antarctica. Three crew members were killed and six others were rescued 13 days later.
Polyarnaya Aviatsiya
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
While taking off by night at a speed of about 80 mph, the airplane encountered problem to gain height when the left wing hit an ice heap. The left main gear was sheared off and the aircraft banked left to right. The right wing hit an ice heap as well and the aircraft stalled before crashing and coming to rest 800 meters past the runway end. The captain and the flight engineer were injured while five other occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned in situ. Without giving further details, investigators stated that the captain has had a dismissive and arrogant attitude before departure and started the flight by demonstrating overconfidence.
Polyarnaya Aviatsiya
Lisunov LI-2
While taking off, the aircraft hit ice hummocks with its right wing and crashed. The occupant fate remains unknown.
Polyarnaya Aviatsiya
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
On approach to SP-3 Polar Station in foggy conditions, the airplane was too low and hit a hummocked ice ridge. On impact, the skis were sheared off and the aircraft belly landed and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was not repaired.