Night Approach Accident at Altamira Airport (PT-ICA)

Incident Overview During a night approach to Altamira Airport, the aircraft encountered marginal weather, including a fog bank on final. The crew elected to continue the approach under visual flight rules (VFR). On short final, the aircraft was too low, struck trees, and impacted the ground 850 meters short of runway 07. ## Casualties The accident resulted in the deaths of both pilots and 20 passengers. An additional 22 occupants were injured. ## Contributing Factors The official investigation identified several factors: adverse weather conditions; poor approach planning; poor judgment; poor flight discipline, including failure to follow air traffic control instructions; environmental conditions conducive to fog formation; the captain’s last sleep period being less than five hours despite sufficient rest time; and the captain’s reported state of boredom, aggressiveness, and demotivation.