Beech 300 accident near Puerto Aguiree, Cl, March 22, 2012
On March 22, 2012 at about 3:58 am local time, a Beech 300, registered CCAEB, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Puerto Aguiree. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 8 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- March 22, 2012 · about 3:58 am local time
- Place
- Puerto Aguiree, Chile · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 8 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 300 LW · all 300s on the register
- Registration
- CCAEB · no longer on the register · serial FL128
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 22, 2012, at 0358 UTC, a Beech BE 300, Chilean registration CC-AEB registered to Banco Popular Espanol, S.A. and operated by Inaer Helicopter Chile SA as an air ambulance flight, departed controlled flight at Flight level 280 while in radio contact with Puerto Montt Radio. The airplane was last observed on radar in a spiraling descent about 6 miles north northeast of Puerto Aguirre, Chile, at 7,700 feet. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An instrument flight plan was filed. The airline transport rated pilot in command, first officer, and six passengers were fatally injured. The flight departed Punta Arenas, Chile, at 0218 UTC en-route to Santiago, Chile. The airplane was located on the north face of Maca Volcano on March 25, 2012, in the vicinity of the last radar contact. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Chile. Further information may be obtained from: Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics Chile Elena Blanco # 1050 Providencia, Chile 7500000 Telephone: 011 56 02 410 7399 Fax: 011 56 02 410 7632 This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information obtained for or released by the Government of Chile.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: SCCI Punta Arenas at 2:17 am
- Destination: SCEL Santiago
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 180° at 2 knots
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Observation at 4:00 am from SCTE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.