Investigation Summary
On the morning of February 6, 1965, a Douglas DC-6B departed Santiago for a scheduled international flight to Buenos Aires. While transiting the Andes mountains in the Las Melosas area, the aircraft impacted the side of La Corona Mountain. The investigation revealed that the pilot in command had chosen a route that was not authorized by the airline's operations manual or the filed flight plan. Despite the challenging terrain of the Andes, weather was determined not to be a factor in the accident. The crash remains the deadliest aviation disaster in Chilean history.
Final Conclusions
The accident investigation board concluded that the primary cause was the pilot's decision to follow an unapproved route through the mountains. This deviation from standard operating procedures led the aircraft into terrain that it could not clear at its assigned altitude, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Flight Planning
The crew failed to adhere to the approved flight plan and the airline's operations manual for mountain crossings.
Interesting Facts
- 01The crash is the deadliest aviation accident in Chilean history.
- 02Among the fatalities were 22 players and staff from the Antonio Varas football team.
- 03The aircraft struck the mountain at an altitude of 12,000 feet (FL120).
- 04The investigation officially ruled out weather as a contributing factor.
- 05It is the second-deadliest accident involving a Douglas DC-6.
- 06While most modern records cite 88 fatalities, some contemporary reports and databases record the total as 87.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Adherence to SOPs
The investigation emphasized the critical importance of following airline operations manuals and approved flight plans, especially when navigating high-altitude mountainous terrain.