ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81 (MD-81) N1003G Posadas Airport, MI (PSS)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Sunday 12 June 1988
Time:09:20
Type:Silhouette image of generic MD81 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81 (MD-81)
Operator:Austral Lineas Aéreas
Registration: N1003G
MSN: 48050/989
First flight: 1981
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-209
Crew:Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Passengers:Fatalities: 16 / Occupants: 16
Total:Fatalities: 22 / Occupants: 22
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:3 km (1.9 mls) S of Posadas Airport, MI (PSS) (   Argentina)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Resistencia Airport, CH (RES/SARE), Argentina
Destination airport:Posadas Airport, MI (PSS/SARP), Argentina
Flightnumber:AU046
Narrative:
Austral Lineas Aéreas flight 046 departed Buenos Aires-Aeroparque Jorge Newbery at 07:04 hours local time on a domestic flight to Resistencia and Posadas, Argentina. The first leg of the flight uneventful and the DC-9-81 aircraft departed Resistencia at 08:40 hours following a 26-minute stopover.
At 09:09, the crew established radio contact with the Posadas Tower controller, reporting at FL 090, VMC, at 30 NM from the airport. Some 7 minutes later the controller cleared the flight for a runway 01 VOR/DME approach, requesting the crew to report over the VOR, and cleared the flight to descend to 4000 feet. Weather at that time was very poor, with about 100 m visibility in fog.
At 09:20 the aircraft struck the top of a eucalyptus forest, at 3022 m (1,63 NM) from the runway 01 threshold.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Impacto contra una arboleda y posterior incendio, debido a efectuar una aproximación por instrumentos, sin respetar lo indicado por la carta correspondiente para ese aeropuerto. " (Impact against woods and subsequent fire, due to carrying out an instrument approach, without respecting the indicated weather minima for that airport.)

Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Ground

Sources:
» ICAO Adrep 3/88 (#17)
» ICAO Adrep 6/88 (#52)
» Informe Final de Investigación de Accidente de Aviación Civil / JIACA


Follow-up / safety actions
It was suggested to improve the protection of the insulating material for the equipment as well as for the ducts that allows the passing of wires inside the FDR and CVR.

Photos

photo of DC-9-81-N1003G
accident date: 12-06-1988
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81
registration: N1003G
photo of DC-9-81-N1003G
accident date: 12-06-1988
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81
registration: N1003G
photo of DC-9-81-N1003G
accident date: 12-06-1988
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81
registration: N1003G
photo of DC-9-81-N1003G
accident date: 12-06-1988
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81
registration: N1003G
 

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 Resistencia Airport, CH to Posadas Airport, MI as the crow flies is 304 km (190 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.

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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MD-80

  • 1194 built
  • 4th loss
  • 3rd fatal accident
  • 3rd worst accident (at the time)
  • 13th worst accident (currently)
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 Argentina
  • 14th worst accident (at the time)
  • 16th worst accident (currently)
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