Region
South America

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando in São Paulo

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
N74176
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
22592
YOM:
1945
Location:
São Paulo-Congonhas
São Paulo
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at São Paulo-Congonhas Airport, the aircraft failed to stop withing the remaining distance, overran and came to rest down an embankment. All three crew members were unhurt while the airplane was damaged beyond repair. It is reported that the crew landed long.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-DK in Pedra de Guaratiba: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1951 at 1153 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
2028
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
11843
YOM:
1943
Location:
Pedra de Guaratiba
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While approaching Santa Cruz AFB, the airplane went out of control and crashed on a wooded hill located in Pedra de Guaratiba, about 11 km southeast of the airbase. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Alvaro Eustorgio de Oliveira e Silva 3.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by an engine failure.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S near Caravelas: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft D18
Operator:
Registration:
2825
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Caravelas – Fortaleza
MSN:
A-330
Location:
Caravelas
Bahia
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Caravelas Airfield in the morning, taking part to a SAR operation after another airplane disappeared. En route, the contact was lost and as the aircraft failed to arrive in Fortaleza, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the three crew members was found. More than three years later, in October 1954, the wreckage was found in an isolated area located about 20 minutes of flight northwest of Caravelas.
Crew:
Cpt Antonio Filizola, pilot,
Cpt Decio Leopoldo de Sousa,
Sgt Wilton de Araujo Camara.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-13-DK in Aracaju: 33 killed

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
PP-LPG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Natal – Recife – Maceió – Aracaju
MSN:
14822/26267
YOM:
1944
Location:
Aracaju
Sergipe
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
33
Circumstances:
The approach to Aracaju Airport was completed in poor weather conditions with low visibility due to heavy rain falls. Three km from the runway threshold, the airplane hit a tree and crashed in flames in a field. Rescue teams took 11 hours to reach the crash site where no survivors were found. Among the 33 occupants were four members of the government from the State of Rio Grande Norte, among them Governor Jerônimo Dix-Sept Rosado Maia. The aircraft was leased from Loide Aéreo Nacional to Linhas Aéreas Paulistas.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot in command decided to complete the approach under VFR while IFR prevailed due to poor weather conditions and low visibility.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D in Gramacho: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1951 at 1740 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Linha Aérea Transcontinental Brasileira - LATB
Registration:
PP-NAL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Vitória – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
42979
YOM:
1946
Location:
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew started the approach to Santos Dumont Airport in poor weather conditions. While flying at an insufficient height of 180 feet in low visibility, the aircraft hit a hill and crashed in Gramacho, about 20 km north of Santos Dumont Airfield. A pilot and a passenger were killed while 17 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The crew decided to complete the approach under visual flight rules while poor weather conditions necessitated an approach under instruments flight rules. Due to low visibility, the aircraft was approaching at the insufficient height of 180 feet while the minimum descent altitude was fixed at 1,200 feet.

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso A in Palame: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Canadian Vickers PBV-1 Canso (OA-10 Canso)
Operator:
Aero Geral
Registration:
PP-AGC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Recife – Salvador
MSN:
CV-480
YOM:
1944
Location:
Palame
Bahia
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Palame, Bahia, while completing a flight from Recife to Salvador de Bahia. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-45-DK near Rancharia: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1951 at 1910 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SPL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo – Presidente Prudente
MSN:
17011/34274
YOM:
1945
Location:
Rancharia
São Paulo
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew started the descent to Presidente Prudente Airport by night and in poor weather conditions when the airplane hit a hill and crashed about 8 km from Rancheria. All seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew took the improper decision to descend to Presidente Prudente Airport in visual flight rules in low visibility caused by night and marginal weather conditions.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-70-DL in Maceió

Date & Time: May 15, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
PP-LPC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Recife
MSN:
19120
YOM:
1943
Location:
Maceió
Alagoas
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the pilot encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed near Maceió and was damaged beyond repair. All 16 occupants were unhurt and rescued.

Crash of a North American B-25J Mitchell in Natal: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1951 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Natal
Rio Grande do Norte
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training mission when an engine exploded in flight. The aircraft went out of control and crashed, killing all three crew members.
Probable cause:
Explosion of an engine in flight.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Rio de Janeiro

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
PP-LDC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
30443
YOM:
1944
Location:
Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
34
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
A first approach to Santos Dumont Airport was abandoned due to poor weather conditions. A second attempt to land was made with a tailwind and the aircraft landed on a wet runway. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and plunged into the Guanabara Bay. All 38 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew who landed on a wet runway with a tailwind component that he failed to take into consideration for the landing procedure. After touchdown, the brake conditions were poor because the runway was wet, which was considered as a contributory factor.
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