ASN Aircraft accident Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III LV-WIL Santa Fé-Sauce Viejo Airport, SF (SFN)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Wednesday 3 June 1998
Time:07:22
Type:Silhouette image of generic SW4 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III
Operator:Air Tango
Registration: LV-WIL
MSN: AC-537
First flight: 1982
Engines: 2 Garrett TPE331-11U-611G
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Santa Fé-Sauce Viejo Airport, SF (SFN) (   Argentina)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Cargo
Departure airport:Buenos Aires-Jorge Newbery Airport, BA (AEP/SABE), Argentina
Destination airport:Santa Fé-Sauce Viejo Airport, SF (SFN/SAAV), Argentina
Narrative:
The Metro III departed Buenos Aires-Aeroparque on a cargo flight to Posadas via Sauce Viejo. At 07:03 the flight contacted the Sauce Viejo Approach controller. They were informed that weather was below minima with calm wind, visibility 30 meters reduced by fog, temperature 8 deg. C, QNH 1024 hPa. At 07:14 the crew contacted Sauce Viejo Tower and were again informed that the weather was below minima. The pilot then wanted to attempt the approach until decision height. They were cleared for an ILS runway 03 approach. Minima for that approach included 900 metres visibility and a 224 feet decision height. At 07:20 the flight reported having captured the localizer at 3000 feet. The controller gave approach clearance and requested the crew to report overhead the Outer Marker (OM). After reporting over the OM, the crew had to report when over the Middle Marker (MM) or when they had the runway in sight. The aircraft descended below minimum descent altitude and contacted terrain 430 meters short of the runway. The undercarriage collapsed as the airplane skidded another 180 metres before coming to rest.

Probable Cause:

CAUSA: "Descender por debajo de los mínimos establecidos durante una aproximación por instrumentos e impacto contra el terreno.
Factores contribuyentes:
- Inadecuada planificación del vuelo, dado que el AD Sauce Viejo se mantuvo con la visibilidad reducida desde las 01:00 hs.
- Requerimiento inapropiado del Comandante de Aeronave, para hacer un intento de aproximación con las condiciones meteorológicas por debajo de los mínimos.
- Decisión errónea del Comandante de Aeronave, conociendo las condiciones meteorológicas, para continuar la aproximación por debajo de la altitud de decisión."

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Descended below the established minima during an instrument approach and impacted terrain."
Contributing factors were:
- Inadequate flight planning, since there was reduced visibility at Sauce Viejo Airport from 01:00 hrs
- Inappropriate request of the captain, to make an attempt of approach with the meteorological conditions below minima.
- Erroneous decision of the captain, knowing the meteorological conditions, to continue the approach below the decision height."

Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Ground

Sources:
» ICAO Adrep Summary 4/89 (#58)
» JIAAC Disposicion Nro.85/00


Photos

photo of Swearingen-SA227-AC-Metro-III-LV-WIL
accident date: 03-06-1998
type: Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III
registration: LV-WIL
 

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 Buenos Aires-Jorge Newbery Airport, BA to Santa Fé-Sauce Viejo Airport, SF as the crow flies is 386 km (241 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.
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