Region
South America

Crash of a Consolidated CA-10A-1 Catalina near Humaitá: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1972 at 1330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
6514
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Humaitá - Manaus
MSN:
1917
YOM:
1944
Location:
Humaitá
Amazonas
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Humaitá to Manaus, both engines failed simultaneously. The crew elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a wooded area (jungle) located about 80 km northeast of Humaitá. A passenger and a crew member were killed while eight other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure apparently caused by a faulty fuel supply system.

Crash of a NAMC YS-11A-211 near Petrópolis: 25 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1972 at 2126 LT
Type of aircraft:
NAMC YS-11
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SMI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
São Paulo – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
2059
YOM:
1968
Location:
Petropólis
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from São Paulo-Congonhas Airport, the crew started the descent to Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport from the north. While flying at an altitude of 5,000 feet by night and in marginal weather conditions, the crew informed ATC he just passed over AF NDB. Two minutes later, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Petrópolis, about 50 km north of Santos Dumont Airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 25 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that while descending in IMC conditions, the crew mistakenly tuned the ADF instrument to a wrong NDB, causing the airplane to follow a wrong approach path and to descend at an inappropriate altitude. The lack of visibility due to the night and clouds was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B at Ponta Pelada AFB

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-6
Operator:
Registration:
HP-539
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Panama City – Manaus – São Paulo
MSN:
43526/241
YOM:
1952
Location:
Ponta Pelada AFB, Manaus
Amazonas
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On an ILS approach to Ponta Pelada AFB on a cargo flight from Panama City to São Paulo, the airplane was not properly aligned and was too high on the glide. The captain overcorrected, causing the airplane to adopt a high sink rate. In a nose-down attitude, the nose gear struck a concrete wall located 12 meters short of runway threshold and was torn off. The airplane landed on its nose and slid for about 300 meters before coming to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the pilot-in-command.

Crash of an Avro 748-2A-235 in Porto Alegre

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Avro 748
Operator:
Registration:
PP-VDU
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Porto Alegre - Porto Alegre
MSN:
1632
YOM:
1968
Location:
Porto Alegre
Rio Grande do Sul
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew (a pilot under supervision and an instructor) were engaged in a local training flight at Porto Alegre Airport. After liftoff, while in initial climb, the crew retracted the gear when the airplane stalled and crashed back onto the runway, slid for several yards and came to rest. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The takeoff was performed with a simulated failure of the right engine. Incorrect procedure used by the instructor by simulating the engine failure below V1 and attempting to unstick the aircraft below minimum control speed.

Crash of a NAMC YS-11-212 in Aragarças

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1971
Type of aircraft:
NAMC YS-11
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SML
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2076
YOM:
1968
Location:
Aragarças
Goiás
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Aragarças Airport, the pilot-in-command started the braking procedure when he saw the presence of another airplane on the runway. He veered off runway to the right, causing the airplane to stop in a grassy area. All occupants evacuated safely and there were no injuries. The following night, two men were dispatched to guard the aircraft. A candle was lit inside the plane, causing a fire. The cabin burned out, killing both guards.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18 in Niterói: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft D18
Operator:
Río Táxi Aéreo
Registration:
PT-DXS
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
A-152
YOM:
1946
Location:
Niterói
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport on a cargo flight, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Niterói, about 6 km east of the airport. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-414A in Sena Madureira: 32 killed

Date & Time: Sep 28, 1971 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
PP-CBV
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sena Madureira - Rio Branco
MSN:
4977
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
SC332
Location:
Sena Madureira
Acre
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Sena Madureira Airport, while climbing, the pilot declared an emergency and elected to return following an engine failure. He completed a circuit at low altitude and while completing a turn to the right, the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located few km from the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 32 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure during initial climb.

Crash of a Swearingen SA226T Merlin III in São Paulo

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Swearingen SA226T Merlin III
Operator:
Registration:
PT-DUX
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
T-215
YOM:
1971
Location:
São Paulo-Congonhas
São Paulo
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances shortly after takeoff from São Paulo-Congonhas Airport. The airplane was destroyed and all five occupants were injured.

Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan off Rio de Janeiro

Date & Time: May 15, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan
Operator:
Río Táxi Aéreo
Registration:
PP-CDE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Brasília
MSN:
3546
YOM:
1943
Location:
Rio de Janeiro-Galeão
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport in the early morning on a cargo flight to Brasília, carrying two pilots and a load of newspapers. After he passed over Petrópolis, the crew encountered engine problems and decided to divert to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport. On final, he realized he could not make it and ditched the aircraft into the Guanabara Bay few km from the airport. Both pilots were rescued and the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Unknown technical problems with engine.

Crash of a Douglas C-118B at Ponta Pelada AFB: 16 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-118 Liftmaster
Operator:
Registration:
2414
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Manaus - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
43746
YOM:
1952
Location:
Ponta Pelada AFB, Manaus
Amazonas
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
78
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Ponta Pelada AFB in Manaus for Rio de Janeiro, carrying Brazilian soldiers and their family members. About 20 minutes into the flight, the crew encountered technical problems with one of the right engine and decided to return to Manaus for a safe landing. After touchdown, one of the right engine caught fire and exploded. The pilot-in-command stopped the airplane that was on fire. 36 occupants evacuated safely and were unhurt while 33 others were wounded. 16 occupants were killed and the aircraft was totally destroyed by fire.
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