What happened
During the takeoff roll at Rio de Janeiro, the tire on the right main landing gear failed catastrophically. Despite this anomaly, the flight crew elected to continue with the departure procedure. After climbing away from the runway, both the copilot and the flight engineer conducted a visual inspection of the right main gear assembly but reported no visible irregularities or damage.
Approximately three and a half hours into the journey, engine number three experienced a fire. The captain immediately initiated an emergency descent and selected Caravelas as the destination for an emergency landing. Upon touchdown in a field, the aircraft lost control, veered off course, and came to rest fully engulfed in flames. The impact and subsequent fire resulted in the death of three passengers while twelve other occupants sustained injuries. The airframe was destroyed beyond repair.
Findings
Investigations determined that the initial tire failure caused significant structural damage to the undercarriage and adjacent hydraulic systems. Specifically, the shredded tread from the burst tire tore away the hydraulic jack bracing struts. These detached components were forced into the nacelle of engine number three, compromising the oil system installation.
This damage allowed engine oil to leak extensively around the nacelle area. The loss of lubrication caused the connecting rods to shear out, leading to an uncontrolled overspeed condition of the propeller and engine assembly. The mechanical failure ultimately caused the engine to disintegrate, igniting a fire that was intensified by the large volume of leaked oil surrounding the engine bay.