What happened
The aircraft, a C-47 bearing registration 43-48758, had previously been operated by the US Air Force. Following a prior incident that rendered the plane damaged beyond repair, ownership was transferred to Navegação Aérea Brasileira. During the maintenance process, personnel lacking the necessary qualifications were directed to perform repairs on the airframe.
A brief seven-minute test flight was conducted on September 21. The following day, a second test flight was initiated. Shortly after departing, the crew encountered an issue where the left main undercarriage failed to retract. Approximately two minutes into this phase of flight, the landing gear became dislodged and collided with the wing, causing it to fold upward. This impact led to the structural failure of the right wing as well, resulting in a vertical descent and impact with the ground.
Findings
The accident resulted in three fatalities with no survivors. The investigation determined that the primary factor was that unqualified mechanics were tasked with repairing the aircraft following its initial damage.