No fatalities

1964-04-04: Douglas DC-4 (PP-BTQ) — Paraense Transportes Aéreos — Belém-Val de Cans-Júlio Cezar Ribeiro, Brazil

Belém-Val de Cans-Júlio Cezar Ribeiro, BrazilTakeoff (climb)

On April 4, 1964, a Douglas DC-4 (registration PP-BTQ) operated by Paraense Transportes Aéreos was involved in an aviation accident near Belém-Val de Cans-Júlio Cezar Ribeiro, Brazil during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Poor flight preparation on behalf of the crew who failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist and started the takeoff procedure with the controls locked. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781243271Data APIEditorial standards

During takeoff roll, crew abandoned procedure at V2 speed and initiated emergency braking. Four-engine aircraft overran runway, lost undercarriage, came to rest in trees. All occupants evacuated safely; aircraft damaged beyond repair.

Incident Details

At V2 speed during the takeoff roll, the flight crew made the decision to abort the takeoff and initiated an emergency braking procedure. The aircraft, a four-engine model, was unable to stop within the remaining runway length. It overran the runway, causing the undercarriage to separate, and finally came to rest in a stand of trees. All individuals on board evacuated without reported injury. The aircraft was damaged beyond economical repair.

Investigation Findings

The official investigation cited poor flight preparation as the cause. The crew had not completed the pre-takeoff checklist and had started the takeoff while the flight controls were still locked. Upon reaching V2 speed, the crew became aware of the locked controls and immediately performed an emergency braking maneuver. However, the remaining runway distance was insufficient to bring the aircraft to a stop.

Probable cause

Poor flight preparation on behalf of the crew who failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist and started the takeoff procedure with the controls locked. The crew realized that the controls were still locked once the V2 speed was reached and immediately initiated an emergency braking procedure.