Date & Time:
Jan 29, 1942 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Potez 62 (62.0 & 62.1)
Operator:
Registration:
LV-SEC
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Buenos Aires
MSN:
4030/11
YOM:
1936
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after liftoff at Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, the airplane named 'Francisco Mendez Gonçalves' encountered difficulties to gain speed and height. It stalled and crashed into the Bay of Guanabara and sank. All 13 occupants were rescued, among them six were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a partial collapse of undercarriage during the takeoff roll, causing a friction of the propellers with the runway surface. In such conditions, the airplane was unable to gain sufficient speed then height after liftoff.
