ASN Aircraft accident Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando LV-GED Mar del Plata, BA
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Friday 16 January 1959
Time:21:40
Type:Silhouette image of generic C46 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando
Operator:Austral Lineas Aéreas
Registration: LV-GED
MSN: 30514
First flight: 1944
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney R-2800-75
Crew:Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:Fatalities: 46 / Occupants: 47
Total:Fatalities: 51 / Occupants: 52
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:1,2 km (0.8 mls) off Mar del Plata, BA (   Argentina)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Buenos Aires-Jorge Newbery Airport, BA (AEP/SABE), Argentina
Destination airport:Mar del Plata Airport, BA (MDQ/SAZM), Argentina
Flightnumber: 205
Narrative:
Departure for Mar del Plata was delayed by 35 minutes due to bad weather there. The plane finally took off from Buenos Aires at 19:50 for the IFR flight to Mar del Plata. Arriving near Mar del Plata, the flight was cleared for a runway 12 approach and landing. The aircraft arrived over the runway threshold at 85 m and attempted to land. The C-46 overshot without even touching the runway, and a missed approach procedure was carried out. At 1200 m offshore the aircraft descended gradually into the sea.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot failed during a missed approach procedure to observe the instrument flight procedure and attempted to continue visual flight by night in unfavourable weather conditions. The aircraft then lost altitude and descended into the sea.
Contributing factors were: 1) As the pilot was not familiar with the airport in this type of operation, he miscalculated during the instrument approach procedure; 2) The pilot's temporarily confused mental state, when he found himself in this critical situation, affectected his capabilty and skill; 3) The radio beacon was out of service and the lighting was poor because of the weather conditions at the time of the approach; 4) Unsatifactory dispatching of the aircraft by the operator."

Classification:
VFR flight in IMC
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Water

Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest Circular 62-AN/57 (60-64)
» Informe Final de Accidente de Aviación Nro. 1191 / Junta de Investigación de Accidentes de Aviación Civil (JIAAC)


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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 Mar del Plata Airport, BA as the crow flies is 382 km (239 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.

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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Curtiss C-46

  • 3341 built
  • 839th loss
  • 194th fatal accident
  • 4th worst accident (at the time)
  • 6th worst accident (currently)
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 Argentina
  • 2nd worst accident (at the time)
  • 6th worst accident (currently)
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