The aircraft involved was a Bombardier Challenger 300which belongs to the Brito family and was returning to Buenos Aires after a trip to Punta del Este. The accident resulted in the death of the pilots Martín Fernández Loza (44) and Agustín Orforte (35).
According to the report, “the aircraft’s runway excursion caused the breakage of the perimeter fences of the airport and the total destruction of a private car located on the street parallel to the fences.. The fire generated in the aircraft after the impact affected a series of homes located in the area of the aircraft’s final position. Due to the risk of collapse caused by the structural damage derived from the fire, Civil Defense of the Municipality of San Fernando proceeded with the demolition of one of the houses“.
The final position of the aircraft was 230 meters from the end of the runway and approximately 30 meters beyond the airport perimeter fence.
According to the fire department, “At the time of the event, the airport had category 520 for extinguishing fires, with a fire engine with 6,000 liters of water, 725 liters of foam and 180 kilos of dry chemical powder. According to what was surveyed, in “At that time, two pumper trucks were operational and fully loaded.”
In the area designated for the Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (SSEI) was observedto the presence of disused aircraft that hindered the rapid transit of fire trucks. These aircraft were not anchored to the ground and several did not have parking wedges. In this regard, it was found that on October 28, 2024, the Argentine Federal Police (PFA) notified the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) by official communication about the presence of these aircraft that hinder the rapid action of the fire brigade. .
According to interviews with fire personnel, The water refueling connection did not have sufficient pressure to quickly charge the tanks, a situation that is under investigation.. Additionally, the rapid foam loading hopper required personnel to access the roof of the vehicle, which did not have protective railings, and did not have a ladder to facilitate quick access.
Furthermore, from the moment the aircraft began the runway excursion (+0:00) until the ARFF and support pumpers transited taxiway Charlie, 2 minutes and 38 seconds elapsed (+2:38)
Likewise, the cockpit, where the crew were located, maintained its structural integrity, even after the fire was put out. The investigation team found that the cabin door was closed and facing upwards at a 45-degree angle.
Finally, the aircraft had an emergency exit located in the middle section of the passenger cabin. This area was completely destroyed as a result of the fire.
The Preliminary Report on the accident in San Fernando
The Preliminary Report, issued by the Transportation Safety Board (JST), was prepared within the deadlines established by Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation and includes information compiled by the technical team of the National Directorate of Incident Investigation. JST Aeronautics, according to the authorities.
Likewise, they assured that “all the human and technical resources necessary for the development of the investigation were made available from the Agency.”
They also explained the importance of highlighting that the writing presents “the preliminary findings, subject to modifications as the investigation progresses. The analysis, conclusions and operational safety recommendations will only be published in the Operational Safety Report.”
“In accordance with Law 27,514, the mission of the JST is to contribute to transportation safety through the independent investigation of accidents and the issuance of recommendations. In that sense, the JST is the enforcement authority of Annex 13 and , as such, has the mission of investigating aeronautical accidents and incidents at the national level,” they added.
And they closed: “The JST investigation has a strictly technical nature. It does not generate in its conclusions any presumption of administrative, civil or criminal guilt or responsibilities regarding the facts investigated.”
Source: Ambito
