Saab 340 accident near Los Menucos, Ar, May 18, 2011
On May 18, 2011 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Saab 340, registered LVCEJ, was destroyed in an accident near Los Menucos. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 21 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2011 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Los Menucos, Argentina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 21 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Saab 340 A
- Registration
- LVCEJ · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 18, 2011, at about 23:47 UTC, a Sol Lineas Aereas Saab 340A, registration LV-CEJ, was enroute from Neuquén, Argentina, to Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina when the flight crew declared an emergency then disappeared from radar. The aircraft was later discovered crashed about 35 km from Los Menucos (Argentina). There were 3 crew and 18 passengers on board, all fatal. The Junta de Investigaciones de Accidentes de Aviación Civil (JIAAC) of Argentina is investigating the accident. All inquiries should be directed to the JIAAC at: Junta de Investigaciones de Accidentes de Aviación Civil (JIAAC) Avenida Belgrano 1370 - Piso 11 C1093AAO, Cuidad Autónoma de Buenos Aires Argentina E-mail: info@jiaac.gov.ar Website: www.jiaac.gov.ar
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: General Electric (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 18 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.