What happened
On the evening of the incident, flight VP005 departed from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport, bound for São Paulo. The flight proceeded without any reported issues during the initial stages of the journey. However, during the approach to the destination, the crew encountered a mechanical issue where the landing gear could not be deployed.
Faced with the inability to extend the undercarriage, the flight crew opted to execute an emergency belly landing on the runway. After making contact with the ground, the aircraft type slid several hundred meters along the runway surface. The friction or impact resulted in the aircraft catching fire before coming to a complete stop.
Despite the intensity of the flames, all 44 occupants managed to evacuate the plane without injury. While there were no fatalities, the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.
Findings
- The primary factor leading to the emergency was the failure to lower the undercarriage during the landing sequence.