Accident Details
A twin-engine cargo aircraft departed Sorocaba on a flight to Cascavel, carrying two pilots and a load of pharmaceutical materials. On final approach in low visibility due to bad weather and night conditions, the aircraft descended below the glide path and impacted the ground 700 meters short of runway 33. Upon impact, it lost its undercarriage and slid for 150 meters before coming to rest. Both pilots escaped uninjured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Visibility at the time of the accident was 1,200 meters with mist, local patches of fog, and a ceiling of 100 feet. Cascavel Airport was equipped with an NDB only.
Probable Cause and Contributing Factors
The official probable cause was controlled flight into terrain after the crew descended too low in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Contributing factors included visibility below minimums, the crew's failure to initiate a go-around procedure, probable crew fatigue, possible optical illusions, overconfidence on the part of the captain, the captain not requesting assistance from the copilot, the copilot's inexperience and failure to intervene despite dangerous conditions, poor organizational culture, deficiencies in crew training, lack of crew discipline, poor flight planning, lack of supervision by the operator, and the copilot's inexperience on this type of aircraft.