Inter Austral Flight 2306

Inter Austral Flight 2306
	A CASA CN-235 similar to the one involved
Accident
Date	9 August 1995
Summary	Door opening mid-flight due to poor maintenance
Site	Over the Sierras Grandes [es], Córdoba, Argentina;
Aircraft
Aircraft type	CASA CN-235-200
Operator	Inter Austral
Registration	LV-VHM
Flight origin	Pajas Blancas, Córdoba, Argentina
Destination	El Plumerillo International Airport, Mendoza, Argentina
Occupants	29
Passengers	26
Crew	3
Fatalities	1
Survivors	28

Inter Austral Flight 2306 was a domestic flight in Argentina from Córdoba to Mendoza. On 9 August 1995, the CASA CN-235-200 suffered from a rear door failure mid-flight, sucking out a flight attendant named Lilián Almada to her death, while the remaining occupants survived and the plane landed safely.^[1] Following the accident, Inter Austral ceased its operation in 1996 due to safety flaws.^[2]

Accident

On the afternoon, the 20 year old CASA CN-235-200 took off from Córdoba. Sixteen minutes after takeoff, as soon as the plane reached 4,000 m (13,000 ft), a loud bang was heard, the rear door opened mid-flight.^[2]^[3] Lilián was preparing food for passenger when it happened^[3], so she was ejected off the plane.^[4] A passenger in the last seat had not fastened his seatbelt yet, and he struggled to hold as it happened. The pilots were unawared of the situation as the door warning system did not activated, until a passenger banged the door. They decided to return back to Córdoba.^[5] Passengers experienced strong forces and were stunned by the scenario, even after they landed.^[6]

Lilián's body was found two days after the accident. The autopsy revealed that she lost consciousness immediately after the ejection.^[3]

The occupants admitted that the door-locking mechanism had been experiencing constant failures. The issues were only improvised by placing a cardboard on the edge or secure it with chains. At that flight, Lilián struggled to close the door.^[3]

Lawsuit

In 2001, the Federal Oral Court of Córdoba executed a lawsuit following the accusation of "aggravated negligent homicide in an aircraft accident" toward Javier Losa de la Cruz, Ricardo Embón, Adolfo Luna, Jorge Belarmino Fernández and Alberto Muñoz.^[4] It is argued that the plane had been malfunctioned 14 times between 14 May and 8 August.^[7]

However, only Adolfo Luna and Jorge Belarmino Fernández were sentenced to 2 year and 1 year 8 months in prison respectively.^[2]

The result caused dissatisfaction of the family members of Lilián Almada and the relatives of the victims in the crash of LAPA Flight 3142.^[8]

References

↑ Ranter, Harro. "Accident CASA CN-235-100 LV-VHM, Wednesday 9 August 1995". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
1 2 3 Origlia, Gabriela (8 August 2020). "Tragedia aérea. A 25 años de la muerte de Lilian Almada, la azafata que cayó de un avión en vuelo" [Air tragedy. 25 years after the death of Lilian Almada, the flight attendant who fell from a plane in flight]. LA NACION (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2026.
1 2 3 4 "A 31 años de la tragedia de Lilian Almada, la azafata que cayó al vacío por una puerta defectuosa" [Thirty-one years after the tragedy of Lilian Almada, the flight attendant who fell to her death through a faulty door]. Cadena 3 Argentina (in Spanish). 11 August 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
1 2 Clarín, Redacción (2 March 2001). "Cinco ejecutivos en el banquillo por la muerte de una azafata" [Five executives on trial over the death of a flight attendant]. Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2026.
↑ Panero, Francisco (8 August 2025). "30 años sin Lilián Almada: "Es hora de celebrar la vida", dice su madre" [30 years without Lilián Almada: "It's time to celebrate life," says her mother]. www.lavoz.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2026.
↑ Panero, Francisco (9 August 2015). "Lilian Almada, una herida que no cierra" [Lilian Almada, a wound that won't heal]. www.lavoz.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2026.
↑ "Juicio por la muerte de una azafata" [Trial for the death of a flight attendant]. LA NACION (in Spanish). 2 March 2001. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
↑ "Penas leves por la muerte de la azafata" [Light sentences for the flight attendant's death]. LA NACION (in Spanish). 18 April 2001. Retrieved 28 August 2026.

[1] Ranter, Harro. "Accident CASA CN-235-100 LV-VHM, Wednesday 9 August 1995". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 28 August 2026.

[:1-2] 1 2 3 Origlia, Gabriela (8 August 2020). "Tragedia aérea. A 25 años de la muerte de Lilian Almada, la azafata que cayó de un avión en vuelo" [Air tragedy. 25 years after the death of Lilian Almada, the flight attendant who fell from a plane in flight]. LA NACION (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2026.

[:0-3] 1 2 3 4 "A 31 años de la tragedia de Lilian Almada, la azafata que cayó al vacío por una puerta defectuosa" [Thirty-one years after the tragedy of Lilian Almada, the flight attendant who fell to her death through a faulty door]. Cadena 3 Argentina (in Spanish). 11 August 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2026.

[:2-4] 1 2 Clarín, Redacción (2 March 2001). "Cinco ejecutivos en el banquillo por la muerte de una azafata" [Five executives on trial over the death of a flight attendant]. Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2026.

[5] Panero, Francisco (8 August 2025). "30 años sin Lilián Almada: "Es hora de celebrar la vida", dice su madre" [30 years without Lilián Almada: "It's time to celebrate life," says her mother]. www.lavoz.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2026.

[6] Panero, Francisco (9 August 2015). "Lilian Almada, una herida que no cierra" [Lilian Almada, a wound that won't heal]. www.lavoz.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2026.

[7] "Juicio por la muerte de una azafata" [Trial for the death of a flight attendant]. LA NACION (in Spanish). 2 March 2001. Retrieved 28 August 2026.

[8] "Penas leves por la muerte de la azafata" [Light sentences for the flight attendant's death]. LA NACION (in Spanish). 18 April 2001. Retrieved 28 August 2026.

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v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in Argentina
Before 1950	Eduardo Newbery (October 1908) BSAA Avro Lancastrian Star Dust accident (August 1947)
1950s	Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 670 (December 1957) Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 205 (January 1959)
1960s	Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 644 (July 1961)
1970s	Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 707 (February 1970) Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 (October–December 1972) Operation Gardel (August 1975) Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 706 (October 1975) Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 9 (November 1977)
1980s	Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 901 (May 1981) Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 046 (June 1988)
1990s	Inter Austral Flight 2306 (August 1995) LADE Flight 072 (November 1995) LAPA Flight 3142 (August 1999)
2010s	Sol Líneas Aéreas Flight 5428 (May 2011) Villa Castelli mid-air collision (March 2015)

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Inter Austral Flight 2306

Accident

Lawsuit

References