What happened
On the day of the accident, a US Navy DC-6 departed Buenos Aires at 08:25 local time, traveling toward Rio de Janeiro. The flight was transporting a group of musicians scheduled to attend a ceremony for the official visit of US President Eisenhower. At approximately 12:56, the crew notified controllers they had entered the Rio Approach Control zone near the BAGRE fix. As the aircraft descended to 1500 meters at the Ilha Rasa NDB, the crew received instructions to fly over the RJ NDB at 1800 meters before proceeding to the KX NDB.
Simultaneously, a DC-3 with registration PP-AXD was operating a flight from Campos to Rio de Janeiro. This aircraft passed the Porto das Caixas fix at 12:58 at an altitude of 1650 meters and was cleared to follow the Victor Procedure for an approach to Santos Dumont Airport.
At 13:06, the DC-3 passed over the RJ NDB at 1700 meters. While the aircraft was performing a standard 180-degree left turn, it was struck on its right side by the ascending DC-6. The impact occurred at an altitude of roughly 1600 meters. Following the collision, the DC-3 crashed into the bay southeast of Sugar Loaf Mountain, while the DC-6 went down in the water just north of the landmark. The accident resulted in total fatalities for both aircraft.
Findings
Conflicting conclusions were reached regarding the primary cause of the collision. Brazilian investigators determined that the accident was caused by a pilot error involving improper flight procedures during an instrument flight, specifically noting that the pilot of the DC-6 failed to follow instructions from Rio Approach Control.
Conversely, a US Navy investigation found no direct fault in the operation of either aircraft or the actions of their crews. This inquiry highlighted significant systemic issues, including language barriers, outdated air navigation aids, and inadequate traffic control methods in the Rio de Janeiro area. The investigation noted that controller uncertainty regarding the position of the DC-3, combined with an underestimation of reaction times and communication difficulties, created the conditions for the collision.