Zone

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

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1951
Operator:
Registration:
PP-LPG
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Natal – Recife – Maceió – Aracaju
MSN:
14822/26267
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
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 Latécoère 28-1 off Aracaju: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-AJIQ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Santiago de Chile – Buenos Aires – Rio de Janeiro – Salvador – Natal – Dakar – Paris
MSN:
906
YOM:
1929
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
After departure from Salvador de Bahia, the crew confirmed by radio that all was going well on board. Few dozen minutes later, while cruising off Aracaju, the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. A day later, SAR teams found some debris floating on water as well as four dead bodies.
Crew:
André Depecker, pilot,
Joseph Le Duigou, radio navigator,
Auguste Morel, flight engineer,
Fernand Clavere, navigator.