What happened
Following a four-day period where the aircraft was unable to depart due to fuel shortages at Cruzeiro do Sul Airport, the plane was prepared for flight using fuel delivered directly from two mobile tankers. Shortly after beginning its climb and reaching a cruising altitude of 8,000 feet, the third engine experienced a failure. Approximately ten minutes after this initial malfunction, a second engine also ceased operation.
In an attempt to manage the situation, the crew jettisoned a portion of the cargo; however, the aircraft continued to lose altitude. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on the highway connecting Cruzeiro do Sul and Tarauacá. During this maneuver, the Douglas DC-8 struck trees and crashed into a forested region. The impact resulted in the destruction of the airframe and caused nine fatalities, which included all three crew members, along with nine injuries among the other occupants.
Findings
Investigations revealed that another aircraft, which had been serviced via the same truck-based refueling method immediately after PP-PDG, was forced to abort its takeoff due to an engine malfunction. The primary factor identified in the accident was the practice of refueling directly from trucks without providing enough time for the fuel to settle.