What happened
During an approach to Aracaju Airport, an aircraft operated by Linhas Aéreas Paulistas—which was being leased from Loide Aéreo Nacional—encountered severe weather conditions. Heavy rainfall significantly reduced visibility during the final stages of the flight.
Approximately three kilometers from the runway threshold, the plane struck a tree and subsequently burst into flames in an adjacent field. Emergency response teams faced significant delays due to the terrain and conditions, taking 11 hours to access the wreckage. There were 33 fatalities among the occupants, including several government officials from the State of Rio Grande Norte.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the accident was driven by the pilot's decision to continue the approach under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) despite the presence of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions caused by deteriorating weather and low visibility.