What happened
A scheduled flight departed Ponta Delgada Airport at 09:30 local time, bound for Horta. The aircraft, carrying a crew of four and 31 passengers, encountered challenging weather conditions characterized by a frontal system, heavy rainfall, strong southwest winds, and scattered cumulonimbus clouds.
In response to the weather, the flight crew modified their planned route to include a descent over the channel separating the islands of Pico and São Jorge, aiming to intercept the 250-degree VOR/VFL Horta radial. While initially cleared to FL100, the crew received clearance to descend to 5,000 feet, provided they maintained visual contact with Pico Island.
During this descent, the aircraft entered conditions of heavy rain and turbulence. Approximately seven minutes after beginning the descent, the aircraft entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The aircraft type struck the northern slope of the 1,067-meter Pico da Esperança on São Jorge Island. The impact caused the plane to disintegrate, and there were 35 fatalities with no survivors.
Findings
Reports indicate that the GPWS alarm activated 17 seconds prior to the collision. The flight was operating in IMC conditions during the period of impact.