Accident
A twin-engine airplane departed Brasília at 0600 local time on a flight to Guaratinguetá, transporting high-ranking officers scheduled to participate in a military parade. While on approach to Guaratinguetá Airport, the crew faced marginal weather conditions. The aircraft struck the slope of Mount Pico dos Marins, located 33 kilometers northeast of the airport. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and all 16 occupants were killed.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the accident was a controlled flight into terrain. The crew had decided to continue descending under visual flight rules while operating in instrument meteorological conditions. The wrong approach configuration adopted by the crew caused the aircraft to enter a valley not depicted on approach charts. Due to poor visibility from low clouds, the crew was unable to see the mountain before impact. The investigation also noted that the crew was misled by external factors inherent to the weather conditions.