Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 7 June 2008
Aircraft Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Owner/operator: Patagonia Airlines
Registration Number: CC-CTR
Location: 18 km W of La Junta – ÿ Chile
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 10
Component Affected: Cessna 208B Grand CaravanCessna 208B Grand Caravan
Investigating Agency: DGAC ChileDGAC Chile
Category: Accident
A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan passenger plane crashed in a forested mountain slope near La Junta, Chile, resulting in the deaths of the pilot. All nine passengers survived the accident. The plane was scheduled to depart from Puerto Montt (PMC) at 13:15 bound for La Junta, but poor weather conditions delayed its takeoff. The plane ultimately landed at Yeco, near the destination, and was subsequently lost. The aircraft crashed at an altitude of 3300 feet, and all passengers were confirmed to have survived.A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan passenger plane crashed in a forested mountain slope near La Junta, Chile, resulting in the deaths of the pilot. All nine passengers survived the accident. The plane was scheduled to depart from Puerto Montt (PMC) at 13:15 bound for La Junta, but poor weather conditions delayed its takeoff. The plane ultimately landed at Yeco, near the destination, and was subsequently lost. The aircraft crashed at an altitude of 3300 feet, and all passengers were confirmed to have survived.

Description

A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan passenger plane was damaged beyond repair in an accident near La Junta, Chile. The pilot died in the accident but all nine passengers survived. Grand Caravan CC-CTR was scheduled to take off at 09:30 local time but poor weather conditions en route forced the pilot to postpone the flight. The Cessna eventually took off from Puerto Montt (PMC) at 13:15, bound for La Junta, where it was expected to arrive at 14:25. The airplane failed to arrive at the destination and was declared missing. The next day ELT signals from the plane were received near Yeco, but fresh snow hampered search crew from finding the missing airplane. The plane was finally located on June 11 at 12:30. The aircraft had crashed in a forested mountain slope at an altitude of 3300 feet. All passengers had survived. MOST PROBABLE CAUSE (translated from Spanish): Operational error by the pilot in command, to continue a VFR flight after entering IMC, losing visual references that would guarantee to maintain separation with terrain, and inadvertently hitting a hill. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: Inadequate planning by the pilot in command in not considering the weather conditions on the route and destination.

Primary Cause

Operational error by the pilot in command, to continue a VFR flight after entering IMC, losing visual references that would guarantee to maintain separation with terrain, and inadvertently hitting a hill.Operational error by the pilot in command, to continue a VFR flight after entering IMC, losing visual references that would guarantee to maintain separation with terrain, and inadvertently hitting a hill.

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