Country
code

Rio Grande do Sul

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune in Terra de Areia: 11 killed

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
2-P-107
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Canoas - Canoas
MSN:
426-5158
Country:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Canoas AFB in Porto Alegre following a combined exercise. A 2150LT, the last radio contact was recorded with the crew. The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Terra de Areia, some 100 km northwest of Canoas Airbase. The wreckage was found two days later and all 11 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-20-DK in Passo Fundo: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1963
Operator:
Registration:
PP-VBV
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Porto Alegre – Passo Fundo
MSN:
15444/26889
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
RG280
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
On approach to Passo Fundo Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility. On final, the aircraft was too low, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located few km short of runway threshold. Both pilots and 13 passengers were killed while three other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Error of judgement on the part of the pilot in attempting to fly visually in unfavorable weather conditions during twilight.

Crash of a Douglas C-53 in Pelotas: 10 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1960 at 1420 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PP-CDS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Jaguarão – Rio Grande – Pelotas – Porto Alegre
MSN:
4823
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight from Jaguarão to Porto Alegre with intermediate stops at Rio Grande and Pelotas on behalf of Varig. During the takeoff roll, the airplane deviated to the right. The pilot-in-command elected to regain control but due to over-correction, the airplane turned sharply to the left, swung on runway and eventually veered off runway to the left before colliding with two parked DC-3 (registered PP-ABZ and PP-HDJ). A fire erupted and all three aircraft were destroyed by fire. While both other aircraft were empty at the time of the accident, both pilots and eight passengers were killed, the other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to pilots error - incorrect use of the brakes and control while on the ground. Wrong takeoff configuration on part of the flying crew.

Crash of a Grumman HU-16 Albatross off Porto Alegre: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1959 at 0330 LT
Operator:
Registration:
6536
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
G-39
YOM:
1950
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The seaplane crashed into the Rio Guaíba while approaching Porto Alegre by night. Two crew members were killed while four others were injured.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-277D in Porto Alegre

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-VDL
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Porto Alegre - Porto Alegre
MSN:
4115
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew (one pilot under check and one instructor) were conducting a local training flight at Porto Alegre-Salgado Filho Airport. While passing over the runway at low height, the instructor shut down the right engine to simulate a failure when the airplane rolled to the right. The instructor elected to correct the situation by an action on the rudder but the airplane reached a critical attitude. Power was reduced on the second engine and the aircraft crash landed. Both occupants were slightly injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Error of judgement on the part of the instructor.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Porto Alegre: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1957
Operator:
Registration:
PP-VCS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Porto Alegre – São Paulo
MSN:
19757
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the airplane started to skid and deviated from the centerline to the right. The pilot-in-command decided to rotate but as the aircraft's speed was too low, it stalled and hit the ground. It then overran and took off again. While facing a hill, the crew attempted a sharp turn to the left when the left wing hit the roof of a house. Out of control, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Wrong takeoff techniques and configuration on part of the flying crew. The presence of turbulences at low height may have contribute to the accident. Also, the assumption that the left engine failed during takeoff was not ruled out.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Bagé: 40 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-VCF
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bagé – Porto Alegre
MSN:
30283
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
40
Circumstances:
Just after take-off, the pilot noticed an incipient fire in the left engine. Acting in accordance with airline regulations, he feathered the damaged engine, returning to the traffic pattern for a landing circuit and carrying out routine radio communications. On final approach, when he considered that a safe landing could be made, he operated the undercarriage lowering mechanism. Because of the intensity of th'e fire, which was in the undercarriage housing and not, as the pilot thought, in the engine, some parts must already have melted and the undercarriage did not respond to the mechanism. Apparently the critical situation had already passed, since the fire, although intense, was not producing much smoke. The pilot, therefore, decided to give full throttle, in order to avoid a belly landing. In this he was still following airline regulations. After this action, when the aircraft reached the intersection of runways 05 and 23, flames enveloped the left wing and detached it from the fuselage. The aircraft hit the ground and was destroyed. All occupants, 5 crew members and 35 passengers, were killed.
Probable cause:
The main cause of the accident was fire in the undercarriage housing and consequent breaking-off of the left wing in flight. A contributing cause was an error in judgment. The pilot failed to assess the intensity of the fire in the undercarriage housing, having thought that the fire was in the left engine and that by applying the procedure prescribed in "Regulations for C-46", the fire had been extinguished or had become inconsequential.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Bom Jesus: 14 killed

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1952 at 1510 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PP-AXJ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – São Paulo – Porto Alegre – Buenos Aires
MSN:
6177
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The aircraft left São Paulo-Congonhas Airport at 1145LT bound for Porto Alegre. En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the crew obtained the permission to reduce his altitude to 3,000 feet. While flying in poor visibility due to heavy rain falls, the pilot-in-command did not realize that his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft hit trees. The left wing was sheared off and the aircraft crashed into the forest of Aparados da Serra located about 5 km southeast of Bom Jesus. Four passengers were rescued while 14 other occupants were killed, among them the Argentinian musicians Miguel Cao and Ivo Schwanter.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was caused by a faulty navigation on part of the flying crew who failed to take the appropriate actions to determine his exact en route position and flight course. Low visibility caused by poor weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-10 LodeStar near São Francisco de Assis: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1950 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SAA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Porto Alegre – São Borja
MSN:
18-2133
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Porto Alegre around 1100LT bound for São Borja with an IFR flight plan filed at an altitude of 4,500 feet. Few minutes later, the captain requested to continue in VFR when he encountered poor visibility. The aircraft christened 'São Pedro do Rio Grande' was flying in clouds when it hit the slope of the Cerro Cortelini located near São Francisco de Assis. All 12 occupants were killed, among them Gustavo Ernesto de Carvalho Kraemer, captain and founder of the Sociedade Anônima Viação Aérea Gaúcha (SAVAG) and Joaquim Pedro Salgado Filho, senator and ex Minister of Aviation. They were returning to São Borja after they visited the site where a Panair Constellation crashed two days earlier.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed L-049 Constellation in Porto Alegre: 51 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1950 at 1925 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PP-PCG
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Porto Alegre
MSN:
2062
YOM:
1946
Flight number:
PB099
Country:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
51
Circumstances:
A first approach to Porto Alegre was abandoned due to poor weather conditions. The crew followed a circuit vertical to the city and eventually informed ATC that his fuel reserve was low. During a second attempt to land, while approaching in VFR mode in low visibility, the four engine aircraft was too low when it hit power cables and crashed in flames on the slope of a 200 meters hill located about 15 km from the runway threshold. All 51 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the pilot in command was trying to maintain a visual contact with the ground.