What happened
On August 13, 2014, a Cessna 560XL, bearing registration PR-AFA, crashed into a residential and commercial area in Santos, Brazil, during an approach to Base Aerea De Santos (SBST). The flight, operated by AF Andrade Empr. E Participacoes Ltda., had departed from Santos Dumont Airport (SBRJ) earlier that morning.
At approximately 09:55 local time, while flying at 6,700 feet and in contact with Sao Paulo Approach Control, a crew member reported having visual references and requested a frequency change. Although the frequency change was approved, the crew did not cancel their instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance, and no specific instructions for the NDB approach were provided. The aircraft proceeded toward the Santos non-directional beacon (NDB), but due to radar coverage limitations, the aircraft was lost from radar at 09:59:43 while flying at 2,600 feet.
A witness at the airport reported hearing engine sounds consistent with a go-around. This witness later observed the aircraft below the cloud base in a wings-level attitude with the landing gear retracted, noting a left bank of 15 to 20 degrees.
At 10:02:30, radar showed the aircraft approximately 1.2 nautical miles west-southwest of SBST. Shortly thereafter, witnesses near the crash site observed the aircraft in a nose-low and left-wing-low attitude, followed by a roll to wings level, before returning to a nose-low and left-wing-low attitude. The aircraft then struck a building before impacting the ground.
There were 7 fatal injuries among the pilot, co-pilot, and five passengers. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft and caused damage to adjacent buildings. There were 3 minor ground injuries reported.
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with moderate rain, mist, and broken clouds at 800 feet.