Crash of an Embraer EMB-820C Navajo in Belo Horizonte: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 11, 2003 at 1600 LT
Registration:
PT-EHH
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belo Horizonte – Juiz de Fora
MSN:
820-044
YOM:
1977
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
180
Copilot / Total flying hours:
150
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport at 1522LT on a taxi flight to Juiz de Fora, carrying two pilots, two passengers and a load of valuables. While cruising about 35 nm south of Belo Horizonte, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines and elected to return for an emergency landing. On approach to runway 13, the aircraft was too high and the crew was cleared to make a 360 turn to reduce his altitude. Doing so and after he completed 270° of this turn, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed 2 km short of runway, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The right engine suffered a oil leak in flight following the failure of a hose due to poor maintenance. The following contributing factors were identified:
- Both pilots did not have sufficient experience nor training on this type of aircraft,
- The copilot was flying for this operator for the first time,
- The operator was unable to provide any maintenance documentation nor crew training documentation to investigators,
- Both engines were running at impact but with limited power,
- The right propeller was feathered at impact.
Final Report:

Crash of an Embraer EMB-820C Navajo in Varginha

Date & Time: Feb 22, 2001 at 1935 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PT-LFP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Varginha – Belo Horizonte
MSN:
820-038
YOM:
1977
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1959
Captain / Total hours on type:
213.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
658
Copilot / Total hours on type:
276
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Varginha-Major-Brigadeiro Trompowsky Airport on a mail flight to Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport with two pilots on board. After takeoff, while in initial climb, the right engine lost power. The aircraft lost height and crash landed in an open field. It slid for about 100 metres before coming to rest, bursting into flames. Both pilots escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on the right engine for undetermined reasons. The following findings were identified:
- Poor flight preparation on part of the crew,
- The crew did not know the exact weight of the mail/cargo,
- The crew did not have sufficient training/instruction regarding a possible loss of engine power at takeoff,
- Poor engine maintenance as the right engine had experienced power issues in the past that had not been resolved,
- Poor crew coordination,
- When the loss of power occurred on the right engine, the captain asked the copilot to raise the landing gear and preferred to resolve the emergency situation alone,
- Poor evaluation of the aircraft performances on part of the crew in regard of the weight and balance values and CofG.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-B80 Queen Air in Belo Horizonte: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 2000 at 1328 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
PT-KKI
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Belo Horizonte - Sorocaba
MSN:
LD-483
YOM:
1974
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
2019
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport, while in initial climb, the left engine failed. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that rolled to the left, lost height and crashed onto four houses located in the district of São Bernardo near the airport. The aircraft and four houses were destroyed. All three occupants were killed and two other people on the ground were injured.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine that was not lubricated according to published procedures. Inappropriate engine maintenance on part of the operator. Also, it was reported that the pilot's experience on this type of aircraft was insufficient.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 25C in Belo Horizonte: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1991 at 2040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
PT-KKV
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Brasília – Belo Horizonte
MSN:
25-172
YOM:
1974
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. On short final, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near a motorway located few hundred meters short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were injured. Three minutes prior to the accident, the crew reported to ATC that all was ok on board.

Crash of a Learjet 25C in Ribeirão das Neves: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1989 at 0002 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
PT-ISN
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Belo Horizonte
MSN:
25-113
YOM:
1973
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While approaching Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. Two minutes before landing, the aircraft struck trees and crashed on a hilly terrain located 15 km short of runway 13, near Ribeirão das Neves. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
César Augusto da Costa e Silva, pilot,
João Bosco Monteiro Barros, copilot.
Passengers.
Alexandrino Horta,
Pedro Ernani Goulart.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK in Belo Horizonte

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1978 at 2130 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PT-KVU
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
São Paulo – Belo Horizonte
MSN:
12356
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Pampulha Airport, the crew encountered difficulties to stop the airplane that overran, went down an embankment and came to rest few dozen meters further with its undercarriage torn off. All 19 occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the brakes failed after touchdown for unknown reasons.

Crash of a NAMC YS-11A-211 in Rio de Janeiro: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1973 at 0850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SMJ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro - Belo Horizonte
MSN:
2068
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, about 8 knots below V1 speed, the captain noticed a loss of power on both engines while the turbine temperature was at its maximum. In such situation, the captain decided to abort the takeoff procedure and applied brakes. It appears the aircraft failed to decelerate properly so the crew activated the emergency brakes that were effectives on the right main gear only. As the end of the runway was approaching, the captain retracted the undercarriage so the airplane sank on its belly and slid before coming to rest into the Guanabara Bay. The aircraft sank about 10 minutes later and was lost. Eight passengers were killed while 57 other occupants were injured, some of them seriously.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 680F near Itabira: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1969 at 0600 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PT-BQO
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Belo Horizonte
MSN:
680-1086-64
YOM:
1961
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport at 0450LT on a cargo flight to Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport, carrying a crew of two, one loadmaster and a load of newspapers. While cruising by night, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located 20 km from Itabira, east of Belo Horizonte. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and all three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in General Carneiro

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1968
Operator:
Registration:
2026
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Schedule:
Belo Horizonte - Belo Horizonte
MSN:
20459
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in General Carneiro, in the suburb of Belo Horizonte while completing a local training mission. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson in Belo Horizonte: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1963 at 1140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PT-BAY
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belo Horizonte - Caratinga
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport on a photogrammetry flight to Caratinga, Minas Gerais. Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane lost height, crashed on a bulldozer parked near the runway end and burst into flames. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Jacy Machado, pilot,
Stenio Benedito dos Santos, navigator.
Passengers.
Rogério Sixel de Paula, engineer,
Ronald Sutter Silveira, engineer.