Date & Time:
Nov 8, 1940 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SPF
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – São Paulo
MSN:
5689
YOM:
1937
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
14
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
Shortly after its departure from Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, while climbing in clouds to an altitude of some 1,500 feet, the three engine aircraft named 'Cidade de Santos' collided with a De Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly registered LV-KAB and operated by the Shell-Mex Company of Argentina. Its pilot was initiated an approach to the same airport when the collision occurred. Following the collision, both aircraft entered a dive and crashed into the Botafogo Bay, killing all 19 occupants.
Probable cause:
Both crews failed to see and avoid each other due to the poor visibility caused by the presence of clouds at low altitude.
