2012 Air Class Líneas Aéreas Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner crash

2012 Uruguayan Aviation Accident Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III ‘N360AE’ (28234188671).jpg A Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III similar to the one involved in the accident Accident 2012 06 06 Loss of control due to erroneous indications from flight instruments, causing loss of situational awareness of the pilots. Río de la Plata, 2km southwest of Isla de Flores, Uruguay Approximate location of the crash 34 57 27 S 55 56 42 W Fairchild Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III Air Class Líneas Aéreas, on behalf of DHL CX-LAS CX-LAS Carrasco International Airport, Montevideo, Uruguay Ministro Pistarini International Airport, Buenos Aires, Argentina 2 0 2 2 0 On 6 June 2012, an Air Class Líneas Aéreas Fairchild Metroliner cargo aircraft crashed near Isla de Flores, Uruguay shortly after takeoff from Montevideo Airport, carrying freight for DHL.Avión desapareció tras despegar de Montevideo - Diario EL PAIS - Montevideo - Uruguay http://www.elpais.com.uy/120606/ultmo-645083/ultimomomento/avion-desaparecio-tras-despegar-de-montevideo/ https://web.archive.org/web/20120620221911/http://www.elpais.com.uy/120606/ultmo-645083/ultimomomento/avion-desaparecio-tras-despegar-de-montevideo/ 2012-06-20 2025-12-29 www.elpais.com.uy Both of its occupants perished. Its wreckage was missing for over a month until a scuba diver located it 2 km southwest of the Isla de Flores.The Aviation Herald https://www.avherald.com/h?article=450c1fee&opt=0 2025-12-29 www.avherald.comwww.eldia.com Diario El Dia de La Plata Diario El Dia de La Plata www.eldia.com https://www.eldia.com/nota/2017-8-14-6-15-34-el-caso-de-2012-informacion-general 2025-12-31 www.eldia.com es Aircraft and crew The aircraft was a Fairchild Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III, registered CX-LAS built in 1981. At the time of the accident the airframe had a total of 26,158 flight hours. The pilots and only occupants in the plane were 63 year old capitan Walter Rigo, who had over 16,000 flight hours and 34 year old first officer Martín Riva, who had 406 flight hours.19 July 2012 A mi hijo siempre le encantó volar El País (Uruguay) Accident The flight departed Montevideo Airport's runway 24 at about 19:55 local time. During its climb to flight level 080 (FL80), the flight conducted a left turn. The controller contacted the flight, and shortly after the pilots answered that they would change course to the SARGO Waypoint. Just after that exchange, the flight crashed into the waters of the Rio de la Plata, killing both pilots.Ranter Harro Accident Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III CX-LAS, Wednesday 6 June 2012 https://aviation-safety.net/asndb/320922 2025-12-30 aviation-safety.netJueza Larrieu clausuró investigación del accidente aéreo de Air Class en 2012 Poder Judicial https://www.poderjudicial.gub.uy/novedades/judiciales/jueza-larrieu-clausuro-investigacion-del-accidente-aereo-de-air-class-en-2012 2025-12-30 www.poderjudicial.gub.uyEl caso Air Class: entrevista https://www.montevideo.com.uy/Noticias/El-caso-Air-Class-entrevista-uc198509 2025-12-31 Montevideo Portal es Search The Uruguayan Air Force and Navy started the search for the aircraft after the loss of contact with the flight.Uruguay: suspenden la búsqueda del avión desaparecido http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1479859-desaparece-un-avion-que-volaba-de-montevideo-a-ezeiza https://web.archive.org/web/20120610020640/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1479859-desaparece-un-avion-que-volaba-de-montevideo-a-ezeiza 2012-06-10 2025-12-30 www.lanacion.com.ar After multiple weeks, 50% of the search area had been covered, but neither the wreckage nor the pilots had been found. On 20 July 2012 the crash site was found. It was located about 2 km southwest of Isla de Flores. The aircraft wreckage covered an area of about 90 meters in radius, and the aircraft's black box was retrieved for investigation.2012-08-20 Comienzan a analizar grabación del Air Class accidentado https://www.subrayado.com.uy/comienzan-analizar-grabacion-del-air-class-accidentado-n15702 2025-12-31 subrayado.com.uy es-UY Although most parts of the aircraft were recovered, the bodies of the pilots were never found.HD Subrayado Encontraron restos del avión Air Class desaparecido en junio http://www.subrayado.com.uy/Site/noticia/14612/hallaron-tren-de-aterrizaje-del-avion-de-air-class-desaparecido https://web.archive.org/web/20120724015302/http://www.subrayado.com.uy/Site/noticia/14612/hallaron-tren-de-aterrizaje-del-avion-de-air-class-desaparecido 2012-07-24 2025-12-30 www.subrayado.com.uy Investigation and conclusions The Uruguayan Aviation Accidents and Incidents Investigation Commission, part of the ministry of national defence, headed the investigation. According to their report, the aircraft impacted the water at an angle of about 88º nose down at a speed of 1027 km/h or about 554 knots.https://asn.flightsafety.org/reports/2012/20120606_SW4_CX-LAS.pdf INFORME FINAL No. 541 - AEROVIP S.A. (AIRCLASS) FAIRCHILD SA-227AC CX-LAS MINISTERIO DE DEFENSA NACIONAL de URUGUAY - COMISIÓN INVESTIGADORA DE ACCIDENTES E INCIDENTES DE AVIACIÓN (C.I.A.I.A) The report mentions that the main contributing factors for the crash were; an omission from the crew of a passage by the meteorological Office to collect information on the weather situation, the omission or erroneous execution of some checklists and the fact that the instruments powered by 115 Volts AC were not energized, which put together make the probable cause of the accident a loss of control due to erroneous indications from flight instruments, causing loss of situational awareness of the pilots.historico.espectador.com 2014-07-25 Air Class: "pérdida de control por volar con indicaciones erróneas" http://historico.espectador.com/sociedad/296534/air-class-perdida-de-control-por-volar-con-indicaciones-erroneas 2025-12-31 HISTORICO.ESPECTADOR.COM esJuly 25, 2014 Se dio a conocer el informe sobre accidente de Air Class https://www.informarte.com.uy/se-dio-a-conocer-el-informe-sobre-accidente-de-air-class/ Informante Uruguay References Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2012 Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Uruguay Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner Category:2012 in Uruguay Category:June 2012 in South America