Country
code

Rio de Janeiro

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando off Itaipu

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1961 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-VBM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
134
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont for a local training flight. En route, the pilot voluntarily shut down the left engine to simulate a failure. As the crew elected to feather its propeller, the prop went into reverse. The crew decided to return to Santos Dumont Airport but as he was unable to maintain a safe altitude, he decided to ditch the aircraft 50 meters off the Itaipu beach. Both occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Rio de Janeiro: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1961 at 1408 LT
Operator:
Registration:
2067
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
15624/27069
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, while climbing to a height of 30 meters, the aircraft stalled and crashed into the Guanabara Bay, about 800 meters from the runway end. The aircraft was lost and all three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1649A Starliner in Rio de Janeiro

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-GLH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Rio de Janeiro – Natal – Dakar – Lisbon – Geneva – London
MSN:
1006
YOM:
1957
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Santos Dumont Airport in Rio, the four engine aircraft was too low and struck a seawall located short of runway threshold. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off and the airplane crash landed and came to rest after a course of one km. All occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the pilot-in-command who continued the descent at an unsafe altitude (below the glide) and misjudged the distance with the ground.

Crash of a Convair CV-340-62 off Rio de Janeiro: 54 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1960 at 1830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-YRB
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belo Horizonte – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
191
YOM:
1954
Flight number:
RL435
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
49
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
54
Captain / Total flying hours:
18000
Circumstances:
On approach to Galeão Airport in Rio, weather conditions worsened and the crew was instructed by ATC to follow a holding pattern. Heavy rain falls and foggy conditions prevailed at this time. Few minutes later, the crew attempted a second approach to Galeão Airport when the airplane went out of control and crashed into the Guanabara Bay. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all 54 occupants were killed. Up to date, this was the worst air tragedy in Brazil.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK off Rio de Janeiro: 26 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1960 at 1307 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PP-AXD
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Campos de Goytacazes – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
13326
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
RL751
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
The R4D-6 left Buenos Aires at 0825LT on a flight to Rio de Janeiro, carrying a delegation of musicians who would take part to a ceremony dedicated to the official visit in Rio de Janeiro of the US President Eisenhower. At 12:56 the crew reported over the BAGRE fix, entering the Rio Approach Control zone. The plane then descended to 1500 m reaching the Ilha Rasa (IH) NDB at 13:05. The crew were then instructed to arrive over the RJ NDB at 1800 m altitude and continue to the KX NDB descending to 1500 m. At the KX NDB the plane could enter the approach path for Galeao Airport. At 13:07 the flight reported passing over RJ at 1800 m, but the plane was in fact still approaching the NDB! False radio compass indications in the area are not uncommon; they are influenced by a steel cable car in the area. REAL DC-3 PP-AXD had left Campos at 12:10 for a flight to Rio de Janeiro. The flight reported at the Porto das Caixas fix at 12:58. at 1650 m. He was told to head for the RJ NDB at 1800 m and was later cleared for 1500 m to carry out the Victor Procedure for an approach to Santos Dumont Airport. The DC-3 overflew the RJ NDB at 13:06 at 1700 m. While carrying out the standard 180° turn to the left, the DC-3 was hit on its right side in an upward direction by the US Navy DC-6. The collision occurred at about 1600 m; the DC-3 crashed into the bay just southeast of Sugar Loaf Mountain; the DC-6 crashed into the bay just north of the mountain.
Probable cause:
According to the Brazilian Investigations Board, the accident was attributed to an error of the personnel (pilot of the DC-6) due to improper piloting procedure when flying on authorized instrument flight. The pilot disobeyed the instructions transmitted by Rio Approach Control. An investigation by the US Navy came to a different cause: The accident cannot be attributed to either of the aircraft involved, the manner in which either was operated, or to any
significant actions or errors of the crews. The roles of the language problem, the lack of modern air navigation and control aids and the methods of aircraft traffic control used at Rio de Janeiro, although extremely material, do not attain the status of immediate causes of the accident according to the evidence adduced. Had these matters been different, in one or more respects favorable to greater air safety, this accident might have been avoided. These problems were, however, common to the flights of all aircraft in the area and were well known by the pilots and controller to exist. It is evident that uncertainty on the part of the controller as to the original position of the DC-3; his underestimation of the time factors, including aircraft reaction time; and his lack of appreciation of the communications difficulties and the increasing seriousness of the situation, combined to create the conditions which led to the collision.

Crash of a Douglas R6D-1 off Rio de Janeiro: 35 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1960 at 1307 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
131582
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
43685
YOM:
1953
Country:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Circumstances:
The R4D-6 left Buenos Aires at 0825LT on a flight to Rio de Janeiro, carrying a delegation of musicians who would take part to a ceremony dedicated to the official visit in Rio de Janeiro of the US President Eisenhower. At 12:56 the crew reported over the BAGRE fix, entering the Rio Approach Control zone. The plane then descended to 1500 m reaching the Ilha Rasa (IH) NDB at 13:05. The crew were then instructed to arrive over the RJ NDB at 1800 m altitude and continue to the KX NDB descending to 1500 m. At the KX NDB the plane could enter the approach path for Galeao Airport. At 13:07 the flight reported passing over RJ at 1800 m, but the plane was in fact still approaching the NDB! False radio compass indications in the area are not uncommon; they are influenced by a steel cable car in the area. REAL DC-3 PP-AXD had left Campos at 12:10 for a flight to Rio de Janeiro. The flight reported at the Porto das Caixas fix at 12:58. at 1650 m. He was told to head for the RJ NDB at 1800 m and was later cleared for 1500 m to carry out the Victor Procedure for an approach to Santos Dumont Airport. The DC-3 overflew the RJ NDB at 13:06 at 1700 m. While carrying out the standard 180° turn to the left, the DC-3 was hit on its right side in an upward direction by the US Navy DC-6. The collision occurred at about 1600 m; the DC-3 crashed into the bay just southeast of Sugar Loaf Mountain; the DC-6 crashed into the bay just north of the mountain.
Probable cause:
According to the Brazilian Investigations Board, the accident was attributed to an error of the personnel (pilot of the DC-6) due to improper piloting procedure when flying on authorized instrument flight. The pilot disobeyed the instructions transmitted by Rio Approach Control. An investigation by the US Navy came to a different cause: The accident cannot be attributed to either of the aircraft involved, the manner in which either was operated, or to any
significant actions or errors of the crews. The roles of the language problem, the lack of modern air navigation and control aids and the methods of aircraft traffic control used at Rio de Janeiro, although extremely material, do not attain the status of immediate causes of the accident according to the evidence adduced. Had these matters been different, in one or more respects favorable to greater air safety, this accident might have been avoided. These problems were, however, common to the flights of all aircraft in the area and were well known by the pilots and controller to exist. It is evident that uncertainty on the part of the controller as to the original position of the DC-3; his underestimation of the time factors, including aircraft reaction time; and his lack of appreciation of the communications difficulties and the increasing seriousness of the situation, combined to create the conditions which led to the collision.

Crash of a Fairchild C-82A-FA Packet in Rio de Janeiro

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-CEM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
10180
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport, the Packet went out of control and collided with a parked Consolidated P4Y-2 Privateer registered ZP-CAD and owned by Alas Guaranies. There were no casualties but both aircraft were written off.

Crash of a Vickers 827 Viscount in Rio de Janeiro: 42 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1959 at 1340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SRG
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Brasilia – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
401
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
VP233
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
42
Circumstances:
While approaching Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport in good weather conditions, the Viscount collided with a Brazilian Air Force Fokker T-21 (S.11) registered 0742. Its pilot was completing a local training flight when the collision occurred about 4 km south of the airfield. While the pilot of the trainer plane was able to eject and was later recovered uninjured, his aircraft crashed in Joaquim de Queiroz street. Out of control, the Viscount dove into the ground and crashed in the Peçanha Póvoas street, in the district of Ramos. Several houses were destroyed and all 32 occupants on board the Viscount were killed as well as 10 people on the ground.
Probable cause:
Failure of both pilots to maintain adequate lookout for other aircraft. Apparently, the pilot of the trainer aircraft was not supposed to cross the approach path of the Viscount.

Crash of a Douglas C-53D-DO off Ilha Rasa: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1959 at 1900 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PP-NAZ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
7387
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea about 16 km off Ilha Rasa, south of Rio de Janeiro. Few debris were found floating on water few hours after the crash. The main wreckage and both pilots pilots bodies were found later on. The crew was completing a pilot proficiency check flight.

Crash of a North American B-25J Mitchell at Santa Cruz AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1959
Operator:
Registration:
5131
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed on approach to Santa Cruz AFB. A crew member was killed while five others were injured.