No fatalities

Training Aircraft Crash at Santa Maria AFB (2452)

Santa Maria AFB, BrazilLanding (descent or approach)

On October 26, 1966, a Lockheed C-130 Hercules (registration 2452) operated by Brazilian Air Force - Força Aérea Brasileira (1941-) was involved in an aviation accident near Santa Maria AFB, Brazil during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Wrong approach configuration. 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)Source recordUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

A local training mission at Santa Maria AFB ended in a crash when the aircraft descended too steeply, striking the ground short of the runway. All seven crew members were injured, and the aircraft was destroyed by a post-crash fire.

Incident Overview and Location Details The incident occurred during a local training mission at Santa Maria AFB. The aircraft was on final approach when the accident sequence began. The pilot-in-command adopted a too high angle of descent, which caused the aircraft to pass below the glide path. As a result, the aircraft struck the ground short of the runway threshold. The impact led to the destruction of the aircraft by a post-crash fire. All seven crew members on board were injured in the accident. The official investigation identified the probable cause as a wrong approach configuration. No specific aircraft type, registration, date, operator, or additional location details were provided in the source material.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 26 Oct 1966 Lockheed C-130 Hercules accident near Santa Maria AFB, Brazil?

A local training mission at Santa Maria AFB ended in a crash when the aircraft descended too steeply, striking the ground short of the runway. All seven crew members were injured, and the aircraft was destroyed by a post-crash fire.

Were there any fatalities in the 26 Oct 1966 Lockheed C-130 Hercules accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 26 Oct 1966 involved a Lockheed C-130 Hercules, registration 2452, operated by Brazilian Air Force - Força Aérea Brasileira (1941-), at Santa Maria AFB, Brazil.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

Wrong approach configuration.