What happened
During an arrival at Santos Dumont Airport, the flight crew initially aborted their first approach because of unfavorable weather conditions. A subsequent attempt to land was performed; however, this second approach involved a tailwind component. Upon touching down on the wet runway surface, the aircraft could not decelerate sufficiently within the available runway length. The plane subsequently overran the end of the pavement and fell into Guanabara Bay.
Despite the severity of the excursion, all 38 occupants were successfully rescued from the wreckage. The aircraft itself was destroyed in the accident.
Findings
Investigations determined that the crew utilized an incorrect approach configuration for the prevailing conditions. Specifically, the pilot failed to adjust the landing procedure to account for the presence of a tailwind during the arrival. Additionally, the wet state of the runway surface significantly reduced braking effectiveness, which contributed to the inability to stop the aircraft before it exited the runway.