Accident Overview
On August 13, 2014, at approximately 1003 local time, a Cessna 560 XL, Brazilian registration PR-AFA, struck a building and then the ground in a densely populated residential and commercial area in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil. The airplane was destroyed by impact and subsequent fire. Multiple adjacent buildings sustained damage from impact and fire. The aircraft was operating under Brazil Part 91 rules on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan from Santos Dumont Airport (SBRJ) in Rio de Janeiro to Base Aérea de Santos (SBST) in Guarujá, São Paulo. The flight, which originated at about 0922, was transporting a Brazilian presidential candidate; approximately 8 to 10 people were awaiting the flight's arrival at SBST. The two flight crew members and five passengers were fatally injured. Three people on the ground received minor injuries.
Flight History
After departure, the flight proceeded toward SBST. At 0955:21, while in contact with São Paulo Approach Control at 6,700 feet about 13 nautical miles southeast of SBST, a crew member reported visual contact with the airport and requested a frequency change but did not cancel the IFR clearance. The controller approved the change and provided the airport frequency for SBST but gave no instructions for the non-directional beacon (NDB) approach. The airplane flew west-southwest, then turned north-northwest toward the Santos NDB (SAT), the final approach fix for the Runway 35 NDB approach. Radar contact was lost at approximately 0959:43 due to coverage limitations, at which point the airplane was at 2,600 feet, groundspeed 175 knots, and located south-southeast of the SAT NDB. Radar data at 1002:30 placed the airplane about 1.2 nautical miles west-southwest of SBST, flying south; it was not observed on the next radar sweep at 1002:36.
Witness Accounts
A pilot-rated witness waiting near the departure end of Runway 35 at SBST reported light rain beginning at 0840 and wind from the south at 8 to 12 knots. He heard a radio call from the crew and then a sound from the engines consistent with a go-around. He observed the airplane near the departure end of Runway 35, below the cloud base, with wings level and landing gear retracted. The airplane banked left 15 to 20 degrees and cleared cranes located less than 1 nautical mile west of the runway; after that, the witness diverted his attention. Other witnesses near the accident site reported seeing the airplane in a nose-low and left-wing-low attitude, then roll to wings level, then return to a left-wing and nose-low attitude before impact.
Meteorological Conditions
A surface observation at SBST at 1000, about three minutes before the accident, indicated wind from 230 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 3000 meters in moderate rain and mist, broken clouds at 800 feet, overcast clouds at 3,200 feet, temperature 19°C, dew point 18°C, and an altimeter setting of 1022 hPa. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Brazil, conducted by the Aeronautical Accident Prevention And Investigation Center (CENIPA).