Incident Overview
A cargo aircraft, operating a flight from Belém to São Paulo with an intermediate stop in Brasília, encountered technical difficulties with its trim system while descending to São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport. The aircraft carried three crew members and a load of various goods, including mail and fish. Weather conditions at the time were good.
Flight and Technical Problems
At an altitude of 10,000 feet, the crew identified problems with the trim system. They conducted several manual controls and tests, and the system functioned temporarily before failing again between 6,000 and 4,700 feet. Despite the recurring issue, the captain decided to continue the approach.
Landing and Runway Excursion
On short final, the aircraft became unstable and nosed down. It landed hard on runway 09R, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The aircraft slid for approximately 1,000 metres and then veered off the runway to the left, coming to rest in a grassy area. All three crew members escaped uninjured, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Investigation and Contributing Factors
The official investigation determined that the exact cause of the trim system technical problems could not be identified with certainty. However, several contributing factors were noted: the decisions of the crew, particularly the captain during the last phase of flight, were incorrect; the crew training program for emergency situations was incomplete; improper use of flaps and slats on final approach exacerbated the situation; the captain did not follow the procedure for such an emergency and continued the approach, increasing risk and placing the aircraft in critical operating conditions; and deviations from standard operational procedures, including failure to complete the approach briefing and not following the approach checklist, resulted in poor crew coordination, leading to further deviations and a critical situation.