50 fatalities

1962-12-14: Lockheed L-049 Constellation (PP-PDE) — Panair do Brasil — Manaus, Brazil

Manaus, BrazilLanding (descent or approach)

On December 14, 1962, a Lockheed L-049 Constellation (registration PP-PDE) operated by Panair do Brasil was involved in an aviation accident near Manaus, Brazil during landing or approach. 50 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The cause of the accident was not determined. 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 1781244277Data APIEditorial standards

A Panair Constellation on a flight from Belém to Manaus crashed 45 km from the airport after the crew asked if engines could be heard. All 50 occupants were killed. The cause remains undetermined.

Flight Details

The aircraft, a Constellation named 'Estevao Ribeiro Baiao Parente', operated by Panair, departed Belém at 02:31 GMT. The flight was scheduled to last approximately three hours, with its destination being Manaus-Ponta Pelada Airport. The plane proceeded along the Amber 1 airway.

Accident Sequence

At 05:04 GMT, the crew contacted Manaus, reporting that they were six minutes out. Fifteen minutes later, at 05:19, the flight crew asked Manaus whether the plane's engines could be heard. Manaus replied in the negative and inquired about the reason for the question. This was the last communication received from the flight. No further transmissions were made.

Aftermath

The Constellation crashed approximately 45 kilometers from Manaus. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the impact. All 50 occupants—passengers and crew—were killed. The wreckage was not immediately located.

Probable Cause

The official investigation did not determine the cause of the accident.