Date & Time:
Mar 23, 1993 at 1750 LT
Type of aircraft:
Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SBJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cuiabá – Vilhena – Rondônia
MSN:
110-037
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
TAM558
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
4
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total hours on type:
3532
Copilot / Total hours on type:
18
Aircraft flight hours:
31025
Circumstances:
About 42 minutes after takeoff from Cuiabá Airport, while cruising at 10,000 feet, the captain obtained the permission to reduce his altitude to 8,000 feet to avoid a low pressure area with thunderstorm activity and heavy rain falls. Few seconds later, the twin engine aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located in Tangará da Serra. All four passengers and both pilots were killed. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact.
Probable cause:
Poor flight preparation on part of the flying crew who did not take into consideration the probability for an enroute deterioration of the weather conditions. Investigations revealed that the loss of control was probably caused by a spatial disorientation of the pilot in command who was unable to establish his correct position due to poor visibility caused by heavy rain falls. The following factors may have contribute to the loss of control by the captain: disease, visual and hearing impairment, arteriosclerosis, obesity and heart problems.
Final Report:
PP-SBJ.pdf600.96 KB
