Section Two Summary and Analysis

After losing touch with the Fairchild, the air traffic control service contacted the Servicio Aereo de Rescate (SAR). A search led by the interim commanders of the SAR, Garcia and Massa, commenced. They began searching along the last reported path of the plane, focusing on the pilot's comments about seeing Curico. As the search team approached Curico, they encountered a snow storm and had to return to Santiago. The following day the commanders reviewed all the available information and changed the focus of the search. They concluded that, based upon its departure time, the plane could not have been above Curico the way the pilot reported. The refined search area surrounded the Tinguiririca, Sosneado and Palomo mountains. The mountains rose 15,000 feet and the valleys in-between were steep and filled with deep snow. The top of the plane would be...