What happened
On the morning of the accident, a twin engine aircraft departed from Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport at 07:00 local time, bound for Juiz de Fora. The flight was carrying two pilots and six passengers. While communicating with Juiz de Fora Radio, the crew was notified that weather conditions at the destination aerodrome had fallen below IFR minimums due to the presence of mist. Despite this information, the crew elected to proceed with the flight plan, intending to execute a non-precision RNAV (GNSS) IFR approach for runway 03.
During the final stages of the approach, the aircraft struck several obstacles before hitting the ground approximately 245 meters short of the runway 03 threshold. The impact triggered an explosion that resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. There were 8 fatalities among the occupants, including both the President and Vice-President of the Vilmas Alimentos Group.
Findings
Investigations into the accident highlighted several contributing factors regarding crew performance and environmental conditions. The meteorological state at SBJF featured a ceiling of only 100 feet caused by mist. Crucially, the crew continued their descent below the minimum descent altitude (MDA) without visual contact with the runway and failed to notify Juiz de Fora Radio of this deviation from standard procedures.
Analysis also suggested potential issues within the cockpit environment. The pilot may have exhibited a complacent attitude or excessive self-confidence, potentially influenced by the pressure to meet the demands of his employers. Furthermore, disparities in experience between the two pilots and the captain's leadership style may have hindered effective communication. These factors likely prevented the co-pilot from asserting necessary corrections, leading to a distorted perception of the flight environment despite all aircraft warning systems functioning correctly.