San Juan helicopter tragedy: two impacts with rocks preceded final crash

The helicopter that crashed in San Juan province did not fall straight to the ground. A preliminary report says the Bell 412 rotated violently and struck two rock formations before the final impact, killing all seven people aboard.

The accident occurred on July 29 in Ischigualasto Provincial Park, after the aircraft departed around midday from the San Juan Aeroclub in Pocito for San Agustín de Valle Fértil. It was a work flight carrying key personnel for the National Fire Management Plan. The fatal sequence began 84 minutes after takeoff.

Investigators reconstructed the helicopter’s path from debris scattered across 30 square meters of terrain marked by ravines, gorges and uneven drops. They described the area as “particularly complex.” The first evidence came from part of the tail rotor and its two blades, which showed damage consistent with striking a rock formation about 2.5 meters high.

Following the same line of travel, investigators found that the cockpit hit a second rock about 15 meters farther on. The impact area contained the bodies of the seven occupants and the combined voice and data recorder, commonly known as the black box. The force of the collision tore the main rotor and engines from the fuselage. They landed 67 meters farther away, where a fierce fire reached them.

The preliminary report did not identify obvious irregularities in the aircraft’s documents or the pilot’s condition. The Bell 412 had current certifications and the maintenance required by its manufacturer. The 53-year-old pilot held valid licenses and a Class 1 medical certificate that did not expire until November 2026. Investigators also found the loading conditions appropriate: the helicopter weighed 4,603 kilograms, 795 kilograms below its maximum permitted takeoff weight of 5,398 kilograms. The damaged recorder remains central to determining why the flight followed the fatal trajectory.