What happened
On the morning of the accident, a twin engine airplane departed from Jundiaí-Comandante Rolim Adolfo Amaro Airport at 05:50 local time. The flight was intended to be a short transfer to Campo de Marte Airport in São Paulo. During the descent toward the destination, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions. Air traffic control subsequently directed the aircraft to return to its point of origin in Jundiaí.
While operating in conditions of limited visibility, the aircraft struck trees within a forested region of Mt Cantareira, situated near Caieiras. The force of the impact and a subsequent fire caused the total destruction of the airframe. The pilot, who was the sole occupant on board, was killed in the crash.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing factors related to the pilot's performance and environmental conditions. The meteorological situation involved low cloud ceilings and visibility levels that were insufficient for maintaining Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
Key findings included:
- A failure to respond to ground proximity warnings, such as 'Caution Terrain' and 'Pull Up' alerts.
- An inadequate assessment of flight parameters, characterized by an attempt to continue visual flight despite the lack of required minimums.
- Impaired situational awareness, which likely led to geographic disorientation and a phenomenon described as tunnel vision.
- Impaired decision-making and diminished attention due to the challenges presented by the adverse operational environment.