Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 644

Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 644 was a scheduled flight operated by the Douglas DC-6, registration LV-ADW, on 19 July 1961 which was due to operate a domestic scheduled passenger service between Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires City and General Enrique Mosconi International Airport in Comodoro Rivadavia, but crashed 12 km west of Pardo, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, half an hour after takeoff, owing to severe turbulence during climb out. Some reports stated the aircraft was struck by lightning.

Accident

Flight 644 departed from Buenos Aires at 7:31 am local time. Weather reports indicated cumulonimbus clouds were present airway 45. The aircraft was to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR) and was required to report its position at the radio beacons of Lobos, Azul, Bahía Blanca, Santa Antonio, Trelew, and Comodoro Rivadavia. After takeoff, the DC-6 flew south at an altitude of 15700 ft and reached the Lobos waypoint, at 7:42 AM. The crew requested a diversion around the cumulonimus clouds from Air Traffic Control. At 8:19 AM, while flying over the Gorchs region, the crew was reported bad weather and a delay on reaching the Azul waypoint. This was the last transmission from Flight 644. While flying over Pardo, Flight 644 entered adverse weather, forcing the pilots to perform evasive maneuvers to maintain control. The wind reached an estimated speed of 76 kn which caused the right wing to separate from the aircraft. The aircraft went into a steep dive and crashed into the ground at 220 kn. All 67 occupants of the aircraft – 7 crew and 60 passengers – were killed in the accident, which remains the deadliest one the company experienced all through its history. As of 2026, Flight 644 remains the deadliest aviation disaster in Argentine history.