What happened
On a morning flight departing from São Paulo-Congonhas Airport, an aircraft bound for Londrina with a scheduled stop in Jacarezinho encountered technical difficulties. During the journey, the onboard ADF system malfunctioned, prompting the captain to initiate a return to Congonhas. However, operational directives required the crew to proceed with the original flight plan.
Shortly after this decision, meteorological conditions deteriorated significantly. The aircraft encountered heavy rainfall and low cloud cover, which severely restricted visibility. While flying at an inadequate altitude, the aircraft struck the slope of the Serra dos Ruvina near Ribeirão Claro. Of the occupants on board, 20 fatalities were recorded, while two passengers—a woman and a five-year-old child—were successfully rescued from the wreckage.
Findings
Investigations into the accident highlighted several critical failures. It was determined that the pilot operated the aircraft under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) despite being in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), characterized by poor visibility due to rain and clouds. Furthermore, investigators identified that the head of operations contributed to the accident by denying the request to return to the departure airport, effectively compelling the crew to continue the flight into hazardous weather.