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https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/464138
Link to post-accident picture:Date: Tuesday 3 December 2024
Time: c. 15:50 LT
Type: Aérospatiale SA-315B Lama
Owner/operator: Aviación del Ejército Argentino
Registration: AE-390
MSN: 2432
An Aviación del Ejército Argentino (Argentine Army) Aérospatiale SA-315B Lama,
operated by Sección de Aviación de Ejército de Montaña No 8,
experienced an engine failure and made an emergency landing
near the Valle de Uco dam, near Campo de los Andes, Tunuyán, Mendoza.
The five occupants were injured and the helicopter received substantial damage.
https://www.elsol.com.ar/policiales/asi ... n-mendoza/
https://aviacionline.com/2024/12/aerosp ... t=cmp-true
According to the statement released by the Argentine Army,
the helicopter was conducting a training flight
prior to the deployment of Task Force 65 of the Argentine contingent
assigned to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP),
a United Nations peacekeeping mission based at the Nicosia International Airport.
Developed in France in the 1960s, the Lama was specifically designed to meet the needs of India, which sought a helicopter capable of operating in the Himalayas.
Its exceptional performance in high-altitude environments, as demonstrated by its world record for landing at 7,500 meters in 1972,
has made it a popular choice for operations in mountainous regions worldwide.
In 2023, the Argentine Army began the process of replacing the Lamas with the new Bell 407GXi helicopters,
beneficiaries of the contract
despite having lower high-altitude performance
than the helicopters they replace and their competitor:
the Airbus Helicopters H125.