Accident description
Last updated: 27 May 2017
| Status: | |
| Date: | Friday 13 October 1972 |
| Time: | 15:30 |
| Type: |  Fairchild FH-227D |
| Operator: | Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya - FAU |
| Registration: | T-571 |
| C/n / msn: | 572 |
| First flight: | 1968 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 792 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 24 / Occupants: 40 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 29 / Occupants: 45 |
| Airplane damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | near El Tiburcio ( Argentina)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Int'l Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Mendoza-El Plumerillo Airport, MD (MDZ/SAME), Argentina |
| Santiago-Pudahuel Airport (SCL/SCEL), Chile |
The Uruguayan FH-227 was being used to fly from Montevideo to Santiago via Buenos Aires and Mendoza. Captain Julio Cesar Ferradas had a total of 5117 flying hours and had made 29 flights across the Andes mountains before. Following takeoff from Mendoza, the aircraft climbed to 5500 m and followed the Airway G17 across the Andes. While flying at an altitude of FL150 in turbulence the right wingtip hit a mountain and broke off. The right wing folded over the fuselage and cut off part of the tail. The left wing also separated and the fuselage hit a mountain slope at 350 km/h and skidded through the snow.
Thirteen passengers died in the crash. In the following days survivors waited for a rescue party. However, on November 23 the search was being halted. In December a few survivors try to get help and on December 20 they finally met some Chileans. A rescue party is organised and the other survivors are airlifted from the wreckage on December 22, 23.
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
Photos
Books
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Mendoza-El Plumerillo Airport, MD to Santiago-Pudahuel Airport as the crow flies is 195 km (122 miles).
Distance from Mendoza-El Plumerillo Airport, MD to Santiago-Pudahuel Airport as the crow flies is 195 km (122 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
languages: 
Argentina
Share
- 6th loss
- 6th fatal accident
- built
- 4th worst accident (at the time)
- 7th worst accident (currently)
Argentina- 7th worst accident (at the time)
- 13th worst accident (currently)