Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-6 Islander in Rio de Janeiro: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PT-KAC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
644
YOM:
1971
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Three minutes after takeoff from Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, while climbing, the pilot reported technical problems and elected to return when control was lost. The twin engine airplane crashed in a field near the airport and was destroyed. All three occupants, one pilot and two engineers, were killed.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-6 Islander near Campinas: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1980 at 1245 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PT-KHK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro - Campinas
MSN:
208
YOM:
1970
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport at 1231LT on a special flight to Campinas-Viracopos, carrying six passengers and a pilot. The goal of the mission was a survey flight on behalf of the 'Rondon Project (Projeto Rondon) of the Ministry of Defence. At 1251LT, the pilot cancelled his IFR flight plan and informed ATC he was continuing under VFR mode. This was the last radio contact. As the airplane failed to land at Viracopos Airport, SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned 19 days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 7 occupants was found.

Crash of a Boeing 727-27C near Florianópolis: 55 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1980 at 2038 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PT-TYS
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Fortaleza - Sao Paulo - Florianópolis - Porto Alegre
MSN:
19111
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
TR303
Country:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
50
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
55
Circumstances:
On approach to Florianópolis-Hercílio Luz Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and heavy rain falls. The approach was abandoned and the captain initiated a go-around. Few minutes later, while completing a second attempt to land, the crew failed to realize that the airplane was not properly aligned. At a higher speed than prescribed, the airplane struck the top of a hill and crashed in flames about 26 km from the airport. Three passengers were rescued while 55 other occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was approaching the airport below the glideslope and off course. It appears that an inspector pilot was at control at the time of the accident.
Probable cause:
The crew misjudged distance, speed and altitude during an approach completed in marginal weather conditions. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Lack of flight supervision,
- Lack of crew coordination,
- Improper use of engines,
- The pilot-in-command failed to initiate a second go-around,
- Lack of visibility due to poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-9 Islander in Cuiabá: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PT-JSC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
695
YOM:
1973
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Cuiabá-Marechal Rondon Airport, while climbing, the twin engine airplane struck a hill and crashed few km from the airport. All nine occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK near Cascavel

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1979
Registration:
PT-KVT
Flight Phase:
MSN:
12147
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances 5 km from Cascavel. Occupant fate unknown.

Crash of a Embraer EMB-820C Navajo in Brotas: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1979 at 1300 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PT-EDG
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
São Paulo – Brotas – Brasilia
MSN:
820-015
YOM:
1975
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane was completing a flight from São Paulo to Brasilia with an en route stop at Brotas, carrying two engineers and one pilot. While approaching Brotas, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and lost control of the airplane that crashed on a hill. A passenger was injured while both other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Learjet 24D in Campinas-Viracopos

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PT-DZU
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
24-244
YOM:
1971
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Campinas-Viracopos Airport, the twin engine airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and came to rest few dozen meters further. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Boeing 707-330C near Rio de Janeiro: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1979 at 1832 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-ABUY
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Dakar – Frankfurt
MSN:
20395/848
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
LH527
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
7969
Captain / Total hours on type:
996.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3537
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2631
Circumstances:
Flight 527 was cleared for a No.16 departure by ground control and was instructed to make a right turn after takeoff, heading the Caxias VOR, climbing to and maintaining 2000 feet. The aircraft took off from runway 27 at 21:27. Approach control then asked the crew to increase their speed. The speed increased progressively to 304 knots, exceeding the 250 knots maximum speed inside the terminal control area below 10000 feet. While Flight 527 was flying towards mountainous terrain and increasing its speed (in the north sector of the radar scope), the controller was busy vectoring an excessive amount of traffic in the south sector. The assistant departure controller failed to monitor the traffic. When the controller turned his attention to LH527 again, he was surprised by the position of the aircraft and instructed 'LH, turn right heading 140, just now, over'. The controller repeated his instructions and instructed the crew to increase their rate of climb. At that time the GPWS sounded in the cockpit. The aircraft struck trees on the slope of a mountain in a nose-up, left wing down attitude and continued 800 m while breaking up.
Probable cause:
It is clear that there was a breakdown in teamwork of the personnel on duty in Rio approach control at that time. The departure controller, through incomplete instructions, caused LH527 to fly for a period of time on a heading and at an altitude that led the aircraft to collision. The assistant controller, the co-ordinator and the supervisor on duty did not support the departure controller as they should have done. A contributing factor was that the crew accepted the incomplete ATC instructions (no clearance limit or alternate procedure) and flew during 1 min 41s without bilateral communications and in potential danger inherent in these incomplete instructions.
Final Report:

Crash of a BAe VU-93 in Brasília

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
2122
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brasília - Brasília
MSN:
25166
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Brasília Airport when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-6 Islander in Aldeia Indígena Fontoura: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1979 at 0900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PT-IJE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
304
YOM:
1971
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Aldeia Indígena Fontoura. Two passengers survived while four other occupants were killed.