Fatal IFR Approach Accident at Juiz de Fora (PR-DOC)

Flight Details and Accident Sequence A twin-engine aircraft departed Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport at 0700 local time for Juiz de Fora, carrying six passengers and two pilots. During the flight, the crew contacted Juiz de Fora Radio and learned that weather conditions at the destination were below IFR minima due to mist. Despite this, the crew decided to continue toward the destination and attempted a non-precision RNAV (GNSS) IFR approach to runway 03. During the final approach, the aircraft first struck obstacles and then impacted the ground 245 meters from the runway 03 threshold. The aircraft exploded on impact and was totally destroyed. All eight occupants were killed, including the President and Vice-President of the Vilmas Alimentos Group. ## Contributing Factors The official investigation identified several factors. The pilot may have shown a complacent attitude toward operating the aircraft and accommodating employer demands to arrive at SBJF. Excessive self-confidence and confidence in the aircraft may have been present despite risk indicators. Differences in experience between the two pilots, along with the copilot’s personal characteristics, including timidity and excessive respect for the captain, may have led to communication failures. The captain’s leadership style and the copilot’s traits may have resulted in a lack of assertive attitudes, hindering adequate information exchange and creating faulty perception of important environmental elements, even though aircraft alerts were functioning properly. ## Weather and Procedural Deviations Meteorological conditions at SBJF were below IFR minima due to mist, with a ceiling of 100 feet. The crew did not inform Juiz de Fora Radio of their passage of the minimum descent altitude (MDA). Without visual contact with the runway, the crew deliberately continued descending, not complying with items 10.4 and 15.4 of ICA 100-12 (Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Services). The crew judged it possible to continue descending after the MDA even without the runway in sight.