What happened
On the morning of the accident, a scheduled flight operated by TAM was preparing for departure from São Paulo (CGH) to Rio de Janeiro (SDU). After receiving takeoff clearance for runway 17R, the crew advanced the throttles to takeoff power. Shortly after the start of the takeoff roll, an audible alert occurred, and the captain noted that the autothrolemode had disengaged. The copilot then manually adjusted the throttles and performed a thrust check to confirm power settings.
As the Airbus A320 accelerated past 80 knots and reached rotation speed, the aircraft entered its initial climb. During this phase, a significant loss of power occurred on the right side of the aircraft. Specifically, the engine pressure ratio on engine no. 2 dropped sharply. This was caused by the uncommanded deployment of the number 2 engine thrust reverser. Witnesses reported seeing the thrust reverser buckets cycle multiple times during the takeoff sequence.
The resulting asymmetric thrust caused the aircraft to roll to the right. While the captain attempted to counteract the roll using left rudder and aileron, the crew became preoccupied with the malfunctioning throttles, which were retreating toward idle despite attempts to advance them. As the thrust reverser remained deployed, the aircraft's airspeed steadily decreased. At 08:26:55, the stick shaker activated to warn of an impending stall, and the aircraft reached a 39-degree bank angle. The GPWS issued a sink warning before the aircraft struck a building and crashed into a densely populated neighborhood, resulting in multiple fatalities.
Findings
- The primary cause of the loss of control was the deployment of the number 2 engine thrust reverser during the takeoff climb.
- The crew's attention was diverted by the erratic behavior of the thrust levers and the disengagement of the autothrottle.