Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Porto Nacional

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Transportes Carga Aérea
Registration:
PP-ASB
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Porto Nacional
MSN:
20467
YOM:
1944
Location:
Porto Nacional
Tocantins
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Porto Nacional Airport, the pilot in command decided to abandon the landing and put full power on both engines to make a go around. At the same time, the left engine failed. The aircraft banked left and hit the ground, causing the left main gear to be sheared off. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest in flames. While all three crew members were slightly injured, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The left engine stopped because a hydraulic line failed. The exact cause of this failure could not be determined with certainty due to severe damages caused by fire.

Crash of an Avro 685 York I in Caravelas: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 685 York
Operator:
Registration:
G-AHEX
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
London – Lisbon – Bathurst – Natal – Rio de Janeiro – Santiago de Chile
MSN:
1301
YOM:
1946
Location:
Caravelas
Bahia
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Rio de Janeiro, the tire on the right main gear burst. The crew continued the takeoff procedure and after departure, the copilot and the flight engineer proceeded to a visual control of the right main gear and did not notice anything unusual. After three hours and a half into the flight, the engine number three caught fire. The captain started an emergency descent and elected to land in Caravelas. On touchdown in a field, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest in flames. Three passengers were killed while 12 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Fire on board the aircraft while in flight. The secondary cause as the bursting of a tire of starboard wheel resulting in damage to the undercarriage and to the oil system installation, and which occurred when taking off. The tread of the burst tire tore off the hydraulic jack bracing struts, which were forced into the nacelle of the engine, causing damage to the oil system installation so that the oil emptied out, and resulting in possible further damage to the propeller feathering system. Owing to the lack of oil, caused by seepage, the connecting rods were torn out, contributing to an excessive increase in speed. In this way the uncontrolled propeller and the resulting overspeeding caused the engine to break apart, allowing the outbreak of fire, whose intensity was aggravated by the large quantity of oil round the nacelle of the n° 3 engine.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-85-DL in Belém: 23 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
2040
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Belém – Cayenne
MSN:
20048
YOM:
1944
Location:
Belém
Pará
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
On final approach to Belém Airport, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a prairie short of runway threshold. Three passengers were seriously injured while 23 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-DO Skymaster in Itapemirim

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
LV-ABL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
3080
YOM:
1943
Location:
Itapemirim
Espírito Santo
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was completing a flight from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro, carrying an Argentinian delegation to the Inter-American Conference in Rio de Janeiro. Due to poor visibility caused by thick fog, the crew failed to establish a visual contact with the airport of Rio and continued to the northeast. Eventually, the captain elected to make an emergency landing, maybe due to fuel shortage. The aircraft crash landed on a beach located in Itapemirim, about 330 km northeast of Rio. The aircraft was written off while all occupants were unhurt.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A LodeStar in São Paulo : 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-60 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
2004
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Campo de Marte – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
18-2366
YOM:
1943
Location:
Campo de Marte AFB (São Paulo)
São Paulo
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Campo de Marte Airbase, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed. All occupants escaped injured while two people on the ground were killed.

Crash of an Avro 685 York near Rio de Janeiro: 21 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1946 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 685 York
Operator:
Registration:
LV-XIG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
London – Paris – Lisbon – Dakar – Natal – Belo Horizonte – Rio de Janeiro – São Paulo – Buenos Aires
MSN:
1365
YOM:
1946
Location:
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
The descent to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility. While approaching the airport from the southwest, the four engine aircraft was too low and hit the slope of a mountain located in the Tijuca National Park. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forced and all 21 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor near Rio de Janeiro: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Operator:
Registration:
44-87040
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Demonstration
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
8299
Location:
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was carrying five crew members (US and Brazilian Officers) who were completing a demonstration flight in a simulation of bombing attack. In flight, for unknown reason, the aircraft went out of control and crashed 7 miles west of Rio de Janeiro. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar near Rio Doce: 18 killed

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
PP-PBH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Belém
MSN:
2113
YOM:
1941
Location:
Rio Doce
Minas Gerais
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
En route, the right engine failed, forcing the crew to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. Eventually, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed near Rio Doce. All 18 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Sao Paulo: 18 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1944 at 2358 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
PP-PBI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro - Sao Paulo
MSN:
2114
YOM:
1941
Location:
São Paulo-Congonhas
São Paulo
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
On final approach to Congonhas Airport, the crew was disturbed by the poor visibility caused by night and foggy conditions. The twin engine aircraft crashed in a huge explosion few hundred meters short of runway and was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire. All 18 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Martin PBM-3C Mariner off Rio de Janeiro: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
6571
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
3024
Location:
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in an anti-submarine combat off the Brazilian coast. In unknown circumstances, the seaplane crashed into the sea off Rio de Janeiro, killing all ten crew members.
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