SATA Air Açores Flight SP 530M Accident (CS-TGM)

Flight Details and Departure<br>On December 11, 1999, SATA, Air Açores Flight SP 530M, a British Aerospace ATP with registration CS-TGM, departed Ponta Delgada at 09:37:00 UTC for the Horta. The flight carried 35 people, including four crew members and 31 passengers. The aircraft was planned to fly a direct route to the Horta NDB at flight level 120.<br><br>## Weather and Navigation<br>Pre-flight weather reports indicated a cold front affecting the Azores, with very cloudy skies, moderate to strong southwest winds, and scattered cumulonimbus clouds. During the flight, the crew encountered continuous rain, turbulence, and strong winds. At 10:03:56 UTC, the aircraft reported passing the LIMA MIKE position at FL 120, but was already approximately 14 nautical miles to the right of the planned route. The crew did not immediately recognize this deviation.<br><br>## Descent and Impact<br>At 10:11:38 UTC, Horta Tower authorized the aircraft to descend to 5,000 feet if visual contact with Pico Island was maintained. The crew confirmed visual contact and began the descent. As the aircraft descended, the crew failed to correlate the barometric altimeter readings with the radio altimeter. The crew only realized they were flying over São Jorge Island after the co-pilot's verbal report and the activation of the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS).<br><br>Following a sudden sink, the aircraft began to recover and turn left. The left wing struck the slope of Pico da Esperança, separating from the fuselage. The aircraft continued its trajectory, rolling longitudinally, and crashed inverted into a watercourse on the slope approximately 200 meters from the initial impact point. All 35 people on board perished in the impact. There was no post-impact fire. The accident occurred during the day in reduced visibility conditions.