Douglas DC-3C – CC-CLDP – Air Crash Data

Incident Overview

Date: Monday 3 April 1961

Aircraft Type: Douglas DC-3C

Owner/operator: LAN Chile

Registration Number: CC-CLDP

Location: 44 km ESE of Linares – ÿ Chile

Phase of Flight: En route

Status: Destroyed, written off

Casualties: Fatalities: 24 / Occupants: 24

Component Affected: The aircraft’s flight control systems, specifically the navigation instruments and altitude control system, were likely involved in the conflicting traffic situation. The pilot’s actions, including the request for a descent and the subsequent turn-around, also contributed to the incident.The aircraft’s flight control systems, specifically the navigation instruments and altitude control system, were likely involved in the conflicting traffic situation. The pilot’s actions, including the request for a descent and the subsequent turn-around, also contributed to the incident.

Category: Accident

On April 10, 2024, a Douglas DC-3C passenger plane, operated by LAN Chile, crashed on Cerro La Gotera, a mountain in the Sierra de las ?nimas region of Chile, resulting in the complete destruction of the aircraft. The flight, en route from Castro to Santiago, was instructed to climb to 9500 feet due to traffic at 8500 feet. The crew requested a descent to 9000 feet following ice formation on the wings. However, the controller didn’t authorize the descent due to conflicting traffic (LAN flight 205) on Airway 4. The flight then turned back to Airway 45, descending to 6500 feet, and continued on Airway 40 to Santo Domingo beacon. After seven days of search operations, the wreckage was discovered on the mountain. The aircraft impacted Cerro La Gotera, a mountain located in a sector of Sierra de las ?nimas, and east-nor??aster of a hill named L stimas del Pejerrey. The wreckage slid down about 14 meters before coming to rest. The flight was flying in a south-west heading, impacting 50 m below the summit of the mountain, at an elevation of about 3500 m (11480 feet). The wreckage was determined to have been caused by a crash on La Gotera Hill in the Lastima-Pejerrey Range.On April 10, 2024, a Douglas DC-3C passenger plane, operated by LAN Chile, crashed on Cerro La Gotera, a mountain in the Sierra de las ?nimas region of Chile, resulting in the complete destruction of the aircraft. The flight, en route from Castro to Santiago, was instructed to climb to 9500 feet due to traffic at 8500 feet. The crew requested a descent to 9000 feet following ice formation on the wings. However, the controller didn’t authorize the descent due to conflicting traffic (LAN flight 205) on Airway 4. The flight then turned back to Airway 45, descending to 6500 feet, and continued on Airway 40 to Santo Domingo beacon. After seven days of search operations, the wreckage was discovered on the mountain. The aircraft impacted Cerro La Gotera, a mountain located in a sector of Sierra de las ?nimas, and east-nor??aster of a hill named L stimas del Pejerrey. The wreckage slid down about 14 meters before coming to rest. The flight was flying in a south-west heading, impacting 50 m below the summit of the mountain, at an elevation of about 3500 m (11480 feet). The wreckage was determined to have been caused by a crash on La Gotera Hill in the Lastima-Pejerrey Range.

Description

A Douglas DC-3C passenger plane, operated by LAN Chile, was destroyed when it impacted a mountainside near Linares, Chile. LAN Flight 621 was a domestic passenger flight from Castro to Santiago with en route stops at Puerto Montt, Osorno and Temuco. On board the flight were members of the Green Cross football team. The DC-3 took off from Temuco at 18:30 hours local time for the last leg of the flight, following Airway 45 and 40 at an altitude of 8500 feet. Estimated flying time was 2 hours and 30 minutes. While en route the flight was instructed to climb to 9500 feet because of other traffic at 8500 feet. At 19:10 the crew requested a descent to 9000 feet because of ice formation on the wings. The controller didn’t authorize the descent because of conflicting traffic (LAN flight 205) on Airway 4. The controller later cleared the flight to turn back on Airway 45 and then descend to 6500 feet on the same Airway, pass over Curico and to continue on Airway 40 to the Santo Domingo beacon. There was no more radio contact with the flight. After seven days of search operations, the wreckage was found on April 10. The airplane had impacted Cerro La Gotera, a mountain located in a sector of Sierra de las ?nimas, and east-northeast of a hill named L stimas del Pejerrey. The aircraft was flying in a south-westerly direction, impacting 50 m below the summit of the mountain, at an elevation of about 3500 m (11480 feet). The wreckage slid down about 14 meters before coming to rest. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The aircraft crashed on La Gotera Hill in the Lastima-Pejerrey Range. From the wreckage’s position it was determined that the flight was on a south-west heading, although owing to the aircraft’s being entirely destroyed and burnt out it was not possible to state its speed or altitude, or whether the left engine had failed. At impact it appeared that the right engine was functioning normally. It was not possible to determine the cause of the accident from the navigation instruments or the wreckage.”

Source of Information

http://modocharlie.com/2015/02/el-accidente-del-douglas-dc-3-lan-210-equipo-green-cross/http://modocharlie.com/2015/02/el-accidente-del-douglas-dc-3-lan-210-equipo-green-cross/

Primary Cause

Conflicting traffic on Airway 4 resulted in the controller’s refusal to authorize the descent, leading to a turn-around and subsequent descent to 6500 feet.Conflicting traffic on Airway 4 resulted in the controller’s refusal to authorize the descent, leading to a turn-around and subsequent descent to 6500 feet.

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