1970-FEB-04 · Loma Alta, Chaco, Argentina

Aerolíneas Argentinas — Flight 707

Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 707 crashed near Loma Alta after encountering severe turbulence within a cumulonimbus cloud. The aircraft, an Avro 748, lost control during its third leg between Corrientes and Rosario, resulting in a steep dive and the death of all 37 people on board.

Aircraft

Hawker Siddeley HS 748-105 Srs. 1

Registration

LV-HGW

Phase

Climb

Cause

Weather

Souls on Board

Fatalities

Origin → Dest

Silvio Pettirossi International Airport, Asunción, Paraguay → Ministro Pistarini International Airport, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Report

Final report

Investigation Summary

Flight 707 was operating a multi-stop international service from Paraguay to Buenos Aires. During the climb phase of the leg between Corrientes and Rosario, the aircraft encountered a zone of intense meteorological activity. The flight had been delayed at Corrientes due to a line of cumulonimbus clouds. Although the flight crew was advised by other pilots who had successfully passed the front to depart on radial 240 to deviate around the storm, they instead set a course on radial 205. This path led the aircraft directly into the cumulonimbus front, which was positioned between radials 180 and 220. Approximately nine minutes after takeoff, while still climbing, the aircraft was subjected to severe turbulence that caused a loss of control, resulting in a 90-degree left bank and a 45-degree dive. The aircraft impacted the ground at high speed (400 km/h) in a palms area near Loma Alta, Chaco Province, approximately 35 km southwest of Corrientes. Investigation revealed that the flight deck crew was overwhelmed by the violent motions within the storm cell, preventing recovery before terrain impact.

Final Conclusions

The official investigation concluded that the accident was caused by a loss of control and subsequent collision with terrain. This was triggered by the aircraft's entry into a zone of adverse meteorological conditions characterized by severe turbulence.

Video Analysis

No video analysis linked for this case file yet.

Airframe & Maintenance

Airframe Hours

19,049

Cycles

15,739

Systems & Failure Modes

Airframe

The Avro 748 was subjected to aerodynamic loads exceeding its control limits due to severe turbulence.

Interesting Facts

01The aircraft was named 'Ciudad de Bahía Blanca'.
02The flight was an international multi-stop route involving five cities across Paraguay and Argentina.
03The aircraft had logged 19,049 flight hours and 15,739 cycles at the time of the accident.
04The crash site was located at coordinates 26°45′54″S 58°48′00″W, approximately 35 km southwest of Corrientes.
05The aircraft struck the ground at a speed of 400 km/h.