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Twin-engine aircraft crash near Rio Doce following in-flight engine failure (PP-PBH)

Rio Doce, BrazilFlight

On September 21, 1944, a Lockheed 18 LodeStar (registration PP-PBH) operated by Panair do Brasil was involved in an aviation accident near Rio Doce, Brazil in flight. 18 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The official investigation attributed the accident to an engine failure that led to a loss of control. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine aircraft crashed near Rio Doce after losing power on the right engine during cruise, resulting in the deaths of all 18 people on board.

What happened

While operating an en route flight, the crew experienced a mechanical failure affecting the right-hand powerplant. The loss of thrust on one side of the twin-engine aircraft necessitated an immediate reduction in altitude as the flight deck attempted to execute an emergency landing procedure. Despite these efforts to manage the degraded performance state, the airframe subsequently lost aerodynamic control. The aircraft descended uncontrollably and impacted terrain in the vicinity of Rio Doce.

The impact resulted in a catastrophic structural failure. There were no survivors among the 18 occupants aboard the machine at the time of the accident.

Probable cause

The official investigation attributed the accident to an engine failure that led to a loss of control.

Related events

Same operator

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