What happened
A cargo flight operating from Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini Airport toward Campinas-Viracopos, with a planned stop in Porto Alegre, encountered an in-flight emergency. While the aircraft was cruising at 17,000 feet, the crew identified smoke originating from the cargo area. Despite efforts by the crew to suppress the fire, the smoke persisted.
Upon declaring an emergency with Air Traffic Control, the crew initially intended to divert to Montevideo Airport. However, controllers recommended a diversion to Melo, the closest available airfield. Because the Melo airport was not active at the time, authorities coordinated with a night guard to activate runway lighting and notify local emergency responders.
During the approach, the aircraft failed to maintain the runway centerline, touching down 340 metres beyond the threshold of runway 07 and coming to a halt 640 metres further along the field. Following the landing, the crew exited the aircraft through the cockpit windows. There were no injuries reported among the crew, though the aircraft was determined to be a total loss due to damage sustained during the incident.
Findings
- The presence of smoke in the cargo compartment necessitated an immediate emergency diversion.
- Unsuccessful fire suppression efforts contributed to the continued presence of smoke during the descent.