Accident
At 1402 local time, a twin-engine airplane departed Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport on a positioning flight to Jacarepaguá Airport, located 23 kilometers southwest. After takeoff, the copilot informed air traffic control that the aircraft was maintaining an altitude of 1,500 feet via route Bravo until reaching the coast. Shortly thereafter, while cruising in clouds at 1,380 feet, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Morro da Taquara in the Tijuca National Park. The wreckage was discovered near Alto da Boa Vista. Both pilots were killed.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were described as marginal, with a low ceiling above the mountainous area.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the accident was a controlled flight into terrain. The crew had decided to conduct the short flight under visual flight rules (VFR) in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Contributing factors included reduced visibility due to low ceiling over the mountains, poor judgment by the crew, inadequate assessment of distance between the aircraft and the ground, continuation of flight at an unsafe altitude for the area, complacency and indiscipline, poor flight planning, and lack of operational supervision.