On March 15, 1961, a Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3) (registration PP-YQS) operated by Aeronorte (Brasil) was involved in an aviation accident near Ponta Grossa, Brazil during landing or approach. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Poor flight preparation on part of the flying crew who decided to continue to Ponta Grossa in poor weather conditions while he could divert to Florianópolis or São Paulo where the weather conditions were better (VFR). This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft struck a mountain near Ponta Grossa while descending in poor weather after diverting from its destination. All three crew members were killed.
Accident
While en route, the flight crew was informed of deteriorating weather conditions at their intended destination. They decided to divert to Ponta Grossa. During the descent, the aircraft was operating in poor weather conditions. The airplane struck a mountain located a few kilometers from Ponta Grossa. All three crew members were killed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the probable cause was poor flight preparation on the part of the flying crew. The crew decided to continue to Ponta Grossa under poor weather conditions when they could have diverted to Florianópolis or São Paulo, where the weather conditions were better for Visual Flight Rules (VFR).