On May 31, 1954, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration PP-ANO) operated by Transportes Aéreos Nacional was involved in an aviation accident near Mt Cipó, Brazil in flight. 19 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: At the time of the accident, the aircraft was off course by 48 km, most probably due to a navigation error on part of the flying crew. The lack of visibility caused by low clouds and poor weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft hit the slope of Mount Cipó while cruising in poor weather conditions, approximately 50 km northeast of Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport. All 19 occupants died. Investigation attributed the accident to a navigation error and poor visibility.
Accident
Minutes before its scheduled arrival, the aircraft was cruising in poor weather conditions when it struck the slope of Mount Cipó. The mountain is located about 50 km northeast of Belo Horizonte-Pampulha Airport. All 19 people on board were killed in the impact.
Investigation
An official investigation was conducted to determine the circumstances of the accident. The aircraft was found to have been off its intended flight path by 48 kilometers at the time of the collision.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was determined to be a navigation error by the flight crew, which led to the aircraft deviating from its planned route. Contributing to the accident was the lack of visibility caused by low clouds and poor weather conditions.