What happened
During a flight from Campo Grande to Vilhena, the crew received a weather update indicating that conditions at the destination airport were below required minimums. While the co-pilot suggested diverting to an alternate airport, the captain decided to proceed with an approach using the NDB for runway 03, intending to divert only if visual contact was not made at the decision height.
During the descent, an error occurred regarding the established decision height, which was incorrectly set at 2,500 feet instead of the required 2,560 feet. This discrepancy went unnoticed by both the pilot and the instructor during the descent phase. As the aircraft approached the runway, the captain instructed the co-pilot to monitor the horizon. The co-pilot focused on the horizon and stopped monitoring the altimeter.
Simultaneously, the captain attempted to establish visual contact with the ground and runway lights; however, a widespread blackout in the city of Vilhena hindered visibility. During the final approach, the aircraft descended below the minimum descent altitude and struck trees less than one kilometer from the runway threshold. The impact caused the aircraft to burst into flames.
Findings
- The crew operated with an incorrect decision height due to a manual setting error.
- The co-pilot failed to monitor the altimeter while focusing on the horizon.
- A lack of visual references was exacerbated by a general power outage in the local area.
- All 16 occupants managed to evacuate the wreckage, though the aircraft was destroyed by the subsequent fire.