Passengers 18 Missing 17 Date 2 September 2011 Operator Chilean Air Force Survivor 0 | Crew 3 Survivors 0 Injuries (nonfatal) 0 Total fatalities 21 (All) Passenger count 18 | |
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Summary Landing Attempt In Bad Weather Site Juan Fernández Islands, Chile Similar 2011 Tawang Town Mil, Aerocon Flight 238, 2011 Antonov An‑148 cr, Missinippi Airways Cessna 2, 2011 Pointe‑Noire Trans Air | ||
The crash of the Chilean Air Force CASA 212 occurred on 2 September 2011, when a Casa C-212 Aviocar 300DF of the Chilean Air Force (FACH) (Spanish: Fuerza Aérea de Chile ) crashed into the sea off Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile.
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Aircraft
The aircraft involved was a Casa C-212 Aviocar 300DF c/n 433, Tail number 966.
Accident
The mission of this aircraft was a relief flight in support of operations in the wake of the 2010 Chile earthquake. It was operated by the 10th Transport Group, FACH. It departed from the joint civil and military Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, Santiago, Chile at 13:52 local time (16:52 UTC), bound for La Punta Airport, Robinson Crusoe Island, one of the Juan Fernández Islands. There were four crew members and seventeen passengers aboard. The aircraft attempted to land at the airport on two occasions, but strong winds prevented it from landing. The aircraft subsequently crashed into the sea 1 kilometre (1,100 yd) off the island on its third approach. A search by the FACH and Chilean Navy resulted in the recovery of some suitcases in the wreckage. The FACH reported that local fishermen and inhabitants found the bodies of a dead man and two women floating in the sea. On 7 September, four more bodies were recovered. The time of the crash was reported as 17:48 local time (20:48 UTC). The accident was the deadliest suffered by the FACH since 1977, and the second deadliest accident in FACH history.
Notable passengers
One of the victims was Televisión Nacional de Chile (National Broadcasting of Chile) presenter Felipe Camiroaga, who was traveling with the team of Buenos Días a Todos (Good Morning Everyone) to Robinson Crusoe Island, to report on the reconstruction that began in the aftermath of the earthquake. He was accompanied by journalist Roberto Bruce and three other members of the TV channel. Also aboard was philanthropist entrepreneur Felipe Cubillos, who was traveling to the island to help the victims of the 2010 Chile earthquake.
Second accident
On 13 September 2011, as rescue efforts continued on the island, an Air Force maintenance worker died after he was hit by a Twin Otter propeller on the Robinson Crusoe runway.