Alayna

Instead, several administrative delays caused them to be late. They ended up missing the window to leave and having to wait until the next morning. Oh, shit. This is the flight, by the way. The amount of times that this got derailed, when you look back on it, you're like, whoa. What was at play here? Yeah.

Instead, several administrative delays caused them to be late. They ended up missing the window to leave and having to wait until the next morning. Oh, shit. This is the flight, by the way. The amount of times that this got derailed, when you look back on it, you're like, whoa. What was at play here? Yeah.

But the Uruguayans were under a tight time restriction to leave Argentina. So the pilot and co-pilot, Julio Cesar Ferratis and Dante Hector Laguerrara, decided that it was... Honestly, better to probably face the inclement weather than risk a literal international incident. Yeah, I can get that. I understand the thought process there. Because they're also very experienced pilots.

But the Uruguayans were under a tight time restriction to leave Argentina. So the pilot and co-pilot, Julio Cesar Ferratis and Dante Hector Laguerrara, decided that it was... Honestly, better to probably face the inclement weather than risk a literal international incident. Yeah, I can get that. I understand the thought process there. Because they're also very experienced pilots.

They're in the Air Force. They're probably thinking, okay, we can get through it. It's going to be turbulent, but we'll get through that. It's a short flight.

They're in the Air Force. They're probably thinking, okay, we can get through it. It's going to be turbulent, but we'll get through that. It's a short flight.

Yeah. And because, you know, they had to make the choice, the flight left Mendoza a little after 2 p.m. Okay. Within a few minutes, the plane had reached 18,000 feet and was cruising between 20 and 60 knots. And they were thinking they were going to reach Santiago in honestly a little under two hours. It was going to be super fast.

Yeah. And because, you know, they had to make the choice, the flight left Mendoza a little after 2 p.m. Okay. Within a few minutes, the plane had reached 18,000 feet and was cruising between 20 and 60 knots. And they were thinking they were going to reach Santiago in honestly a little under two hours. It was going to be super fast.

It was an older model plane, but it was equipped with an automatic direction finder, also known as an ADF, and a VHF omnidirectional range. Both of these things were critical for keeping the flight on course and staying in the proper airspace.

It was an older model plane, but it was equipped with an automatic direction finder, also known as an ADF, and a VHF omnidirectional range. Both of these things were critical for keeping the flight on course and staying in the proper airspace.

About an hour into the flight, the plane reached the Cordillera, and La Guerrera dropped into a new airline and switched frequencies to put them in contact with air traffic control in Santiago. Yeah. So as he did this, they entered a patch of dense cloud cover, and so they ascended so that they could get better visibility over it. At this point, everything's going fine. Flight is on schedule.

About an hour into the flight, the plane reached the Cordillera, and La Guerrera dropped into a new airline and switched frequencies to put them in contact with air traffic control in Santiago. Yeah. So as he did this, they entered a patch of dense cloud cover, and so they ascended so that they could get better visibility over it. At this point, everything's going fine. Flight is on schedule.

Now at 3.21 p.m., La Guerrera radioed Santiago to inform them that they were over the pass of Planchon and were about to fly over Carrico, which is a small town on the west side of the Andes. A few minutes later, La Guerrera radioed again to say the flight was making a slight right angle in order to course correct and keep on the right flight path.

Now at 3.21 p.m., La Guerrera radioed Santiago to inform them that they were over the pass of Planchon and were about to fly over Carrico, which is a small town on the west side of the Andes. A few minutes later, La Guerrera radioed again to say the flight was making a slight right angle in order to course correct and keep on the right flight path.

Unable to track the flight, Santiago's air traffic control took the co-pilot at his word because once they go out of that flight, like, he can't track it.

Unable to track the flight, Santiago's air traffic control took the co-pilot at his word because once they go out of that flight, like, he can't track it.

And he was like, you know what? Basically, air traffic control is like, he's probably been accurately tracking the flight. So they authorized him to descend to 10,000 feet, and they began preparing for the descent.

And he was like, you know what? Basically, air traffic control is like, he's probably been accurately tracking the flight. So they authorized him to descend to 10,000 feet, and they began preparing for the descent.

Now, the plane had descended 3,000 feet. And again, it was going to be descending 10,000 feet. Yeah. So it went down 3,000 feet when they shifted from one air current to another. And that caused the plane to jump and shake as it moved to one from that current.

Now, the plane had descended 3,000 feet. And again, it was going to be descending 10,000 feet. Yeah. So it went down 3,000 feet when they shifted from one air current to another. And that caused the plane to jump and shake as it moved to one from that current.