What happened
During an approach to Santos Dumont Airport, the flight crew attempted to land despite experiencing adverse weather conditions. While operating at an altitude of only 180 feet amidst low visibility, the aircraft struck a hill located approximately 20 km north of the airfield in the Gramacho area. The impact resulted in two fatalities, including the pilot and one passenger, while 17 other occupants sustained injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the crew attempted to conduct the approach under visual flight rules (VFR) when the prevailing weather conditions required the use of instrument flight rules (IFR). A primary contributing factor was that the aircraft was flying at an altitude of 180 feet, which was significantly below the established minimum descent altitude of 1,200 feet. This failure to maintain the required minimum descent altitude during low visibility led to the collision with terrain.