What happened
A flight originating from Belém-Val de Cans Airport, bound for Brasília with scheduled stops in Marabá and Carajás, experienced a major accident during its arrival at Carajás-Parauapebas Airport. The aircraft was transporting 48 passengers and a crew of six at the time of the incident.
During the final approach, the flight encountered challenging meteorological conditions, including active rainfall, low cloud ceilings of approximately 120 metres, and reduced visibility caused by fog and rain. The aircraft was noted to be in an unstable state during the final phase of flight. Upon landing on runway 10, the aircraft experienced a heavy touchdown, which caused the right main landing gear to detach.
Following the loss of the landing gear, the aircraft lost directional control and veered off the right side of the runway. The aircraft subsequently struck trees before coming to a halt in a nearby wooded area. The impact destroyed the right side of the cockpit, resulting in the death of the copilot. Among the remaining occupants, ten individuals sustained injuries, while 43 people were able to evacuate without harm. The aircraft was a total loss.
Findings
- The approach was conducted under poor weather conditions characterized by low visibility and low cloud ceilings.
- The aircraft was in an unstable configuration during the final approach phase.
- A hard landing led to the structural failure of the right main landing gear.