VARIG - Viação Aérea Rio Grandense

Boeing 737-200

On final approach to Goiânia-Santa Genoveva Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a limited visibility due to rain. The aircraft landed about 500 metres past the runway threshold but as it was misaligned, the right main gear touched down on the left side of the runway. The crew attempted to steer the plane back onto the runway when the right main gear collapsed. The aircraft went out of control, lost its right engine then its nose gear and came to rest on the runway. All 67 occupants evacuated safely.

Boeing 737-200

The aircraft departed Belém-Val de Cans Airport on a flight to Brasília with intermediate stops in Marabá and Carajás, carrying 48 passengers and a crew of six. The approach to Carajás-Parauapebas Airport was completed in poor weather conditions with rain falls, clouds down to 120 metres and a limited visibility due to rain and fog. On final the aircraft was unstable and landed hard on runway 10. On touchdown, the right main gear was torn off and the aircraft went out of control. It veered off runway to the right, collided with trees and eventually came to rest in a wooded area. The copilot was killed as the right side of the cockpit was destroyed upon impact. Ten other people were injured and 43 escaped unhurt. The aircraft was destroyed.

Boeing 737-200

Following a wrong flight preparation and erroneous computer setting regarding the route, the crew computerized 027° instead of 270°. After takeoff from Marabá Airport at 1725LT, the crew was cleared to climb to FL290 and maintained heading of 270° for 40 minutes. The flight was then cleared to descend to FL200 by Belém ACC. However, the crew failed to find navigational aids and lost radio contact. Course was changed to 090 degrees as the aircraft further descended down to FL40. The crew then followed a river, heading 165 degrees. Because of the sunset and haze the pilot's had difficulty navigating. Also, they failed to establish radio contact on several frequencies and failed to find navaids in the area. After the crew found the NDB, both engines stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The captain elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in the jungle about 60 km from São José do Xingu. Rescue teams arrived on site 44 hours later. 42 occupants were injured while 12 passengers were killed. The aircraft was destroyed. It appeared that the computerized flight plan used a four digit representation of the magnetic bearing with the last digit being a tenth of a degree without any decimal separator. A course of '027.0' was presented as '0270'.

Boeing 707

About 20 minutes after takeoff from Abidjan-Port-Bouet Airport, while cruising over the Atlantic Ocean, the fire alarm on engine n°1 sounded. As the fuel temperature was abnormally high, it was decided to shut down the engine. The captain declared an emergency and was cleared to return. On approach, he was cleared to land on runway 03 but preferred to land on runway 21 that was equipped with an ILS system. After completing a back circuit by night but in relative good visibility, the airplane passed over the Abidjan VOR then the pilot-in-command initiated a left turn when the stall warning sounded. While completing a left turn in a flaps and landing gear up configuration, the airplane banked left, stalled and crashed in the forest of Akakro located about 10 km northeast of Abidjan Airport, near the city of Bingerville. A passenger was seriously injured while 50 other occupants were killed.

Boeing 707

After touchdown on a wet runway at Manaus-Eduardo Gomes Airport, the four engine airplane deviated to the right, causing the right main gear to struck runway lights. Upon impact, the right main gear was torn off and the airplane came to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported that the crew landed at an excessive speed of 148 knots on a wet runway due to heavy rain falls. It may be possible that the aircraft suffered aquaplaning after touchdown.

Boeing 707

The four engine airplane departed Tokyo-Narita Airport at 2023LT on a cargo flight to Rio de Janeiro with intermediate stops in Los Angeles and Lima. There were six crew members on board as well as 53 paintings by Manabu Mabe, returning from a Tokyo exhibition, valued at US$1.24 million. At 2045LT, the last radio transmission was recorded with ATC and about 15 minutes later, while in cruising altitude, the airplane disappeared from the radar screens. SAR operations were immediately initiated by Japanese and American Authorities but eventually suspended after several days as no trace of the aircraft nor the six occupants was found. The captain, Gilberto Araújo da Silva, was flying the Varig Boeing 707 that crashed while approaching Paris-Orly Airport on July 11, 1973.

Avro 748

Few minutes after takeoff from Pedro Afonso, the crew encountered technical problems and decided to return. The approach was completed at a too high speed and the airplane landed too far down the runway, approximately 300 meters from the runway end. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, crossed a street and crashed into a house. A woman and her two children were killed in the house as well as the copilot. A second crew member was injured while 13 other occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Boeing 707

The airplane departed Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport at 0303LT on flight RG820 to Paris-Orly Airport. The en route part of the flight was uneventful. At 13:57 the aircraft had descended to FL80 and contacted Orly approach, who told the crew to maintain FL80 and head to the OLS VOR which would take the aircraft to the downwind leg of runway 26. At 13:58:20 the flight crew contacted Orly approach and reported a "problem with fire on board". An emergency descent was requested. At 13:59 clearance was given to descend to 3000 feet for a runway 07 landing, making a straight-in approach possible. While the situation on board was getting worse (smoke entering the cockpit and passengers becoming asphyxiated), a clearance to descend to 2000 feet was given at 14:01:10. The flight crew put on oxygen masks as smoke was making it impossible to read the instruments. At 14:03 the pilot decided to make an emergency landing 5 km short of the runway with gear down and flaps at 80°. The Boeing approached with considerable nose-up attitude, in a slight left bank. The aircraft truncated some small trees and made a heavy landing on a field. Both main gears collapsed and the engines were torn off in the subsequent skid. The fuselage however, remained intact. Ten occupants (all crew members) evacuated the aircraft. By the time the firemen arrived (6-7 minutes later) the fire had burned through the roof and there was no sign of life. Of the four unconscious occupants the firemen could evacuate, only one survived.

Boeing 707

On final approach to runway 14 at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport, at an altitude of 200 feet, the airplane nosed down and crashed into the sea. Two crew members were rescued while two others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.

Avro 748

The crew (a pilot under supervision and an instructor) were engaged in a local training flight at Porto Alegre Airport. After liftoff, while in initial climb, the crew retracted the gear when the airplane stalled and crashed back onto the runway, slid for several yards and came to rest. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Lockheed L-188 Electra

On final approach to Porto Alegre-Salgado Filho Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the right main gear struck an obstacle and was torn off. Upon landing, the airplane slid partially on its belly for dozen yards before coming to rest. While all 51 occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Avro 748

On final approach to Uberlândia Airport, while at an altitude of 500 feet, the pilot decided to make a go-around as his position was wrong. Suddenly, the airplane banked right, stalled and crashed in a field located 1,400 meters short of runway 04 threshold. The wreckage was found 900 meter to the right of the extended centerline. All nine occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Curtiss C-46 Commando

While on a cargo flight from São Paulo to Recife, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Coelhos Mountain Range, near Gravatá. All three crew members were killed.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Suffered a ground accident at an unknown airport in São Paulo. There were no casualties.

Douglas DC-8

VARIG Flight RG837 departed Rome-Fiumicino Airport, Italy, at 21:08 hours GMT on a flight to Monrovia, Liberia. The flight was uneventful until the crew reported at FL45, five miles from the Roberts VOR. ATC then cleared the flight to descend further down to 3000 feet on the VOR and reported a QNH of 1009 mb. The QNH was read back correctly, but the crew did not mention the descent clearance. The pilot-in-command continued to the VOR at FL45 (4500 feet). After sighting the aerodrome runway lights from vertically overhead, the pilot informed the co-pilot that despite the fact that he had the runway completely in sight he would make an IFR/VOR procedure. A VOR/Locator instrument let-down was commenced from 4500 feet over the VOR at an indicated airspeed of 210 slowing to 170 kt, descending at a rate of between 500 to 700 feet per minute until the aircraft arrived at a point inbound over the coastline at 1800 feet on a heading of 047- degrees with the gear down and 35-deg flaps for landing on runway 04. At this point the co-pilot reported: "Runway in sight a little to the left". During the approach from the coast to the airport, the pilot did not make any use of the DME. After the procedure turn, the aircraft was on the correct VOR radial and a smooth approach was carried out during which the aircraft was flown manually. After the procedure turn, the co-pilot called each 100 feet of altitude and the speed and he checked the indication of the vertical speed indicators. At an altitude of about 1000 feet, flaps were put in the full down position and shortly thereafter, at an altitude of 700-800 feet, the aircraft entered some stratus and, further down, fog patches. When entering the stratus layer, the captain told the co-pilot that it was no longer necessary to report altitude and speed and was instructed to look outside and to report as soon as he could see the runway. Over the FR locator beacon, the altitude was about 800 feet, whereas his correct altitude should have been 520 feet. He then increased his rate of descent to between 1200-1500 ft/min, by reduction of power and by pitching the nose of the aircraft down. About 15 seconds after passing FR the co-pilot reported runway in sight, saying also that the visibility was poor and that they were too low. Descent was continued until the DC-8 impacted the ground 6023 feet from the threshold of runway 04, 180 feet to the right of the runway extended centre line with the aircraft coming to rest after a ground slide of approximately 850 feet. The aircraft caught fire and was totally destroyed. A crew members, 50 passengers and five people on a house were killed.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Suffered an accident at Porto Nacional Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Suffered an accident at Porto Nacional Airport. No casualties.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

On approach to Passo Fundo Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility. On final, the aircraft was too low, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located few km short of runway threshold. Both pilots and 13 passengers were killed while three other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Convair CV-240

At 0054LT, the crew reported on approach to Brasília Airport at an altitude of 1,800 meters. He was instructed to report when inbound for runway 28 and was given the latest weather conditions. Initial approach was begun at 0056. At 0059 the flight reported it as on final approach. The tower gave it thelatest wind conditions, 330°, velocity 8-10 kt, and the aircraft was cleared to land. The message was acknowledged. Nothing further was heard from the flight. The tower controller saw a flash of light in the direction from which the aircraft was expected, however, he did not think anything abnormal had occurred. After a few unsuccessful calls, search and rescue services were alerted. The aircraft had struck trees and the ground 8,400 meters from the runway and continued over uneven ground for 300 meters. As the aircraft fell on its side, only the side exit facing upward would be used for evacuation. Because of the failure of normal lights and the fact that no flashlights were available, it was difficult to find the emergency exit. The captain was killed while the copilot was seriously injured.

Boeing 707

A Boeing 707-441 passenger jet, operated by Varig, was destroyed when it crashed into the side of La Cruz Peak, near Lima, Peru. All 80 passengers and 17 crew members were killed. Flight RG810 departed Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport at 03:53 hours UTC on a scheduled flight to Los Angeles (LAX) with en route stops at Lima (LIM), Peru , Bogotá (BOG), Colombia, Panama City (PTY), Panama and Mexico City (MEX), Mexico. At 08:09 the flight reported to Air Traffic Control, Lima, at 36 000 feet, estimating Pisco at 08:13 and Lima-Callao Airport at 08:36 and requested permission to descend. Lima ATC advised of a DC-6, which had departed Lima at 07:35 and was also estimating Pisco at 08:13 when it would be cruising at 13500 feet. After passing Pisco at 08:13, the crew started their descent. At 08:19 hours RG-810 reached 26000 feet. Authorization was granted to continue descending for a straight-in approach to runway 33. At 08:24 it reported to Approach Control ten minutes from the station, at 15 000 feet, still in descent. By 08:30 hours it had reached 12000 feet over Las Palmas. As it was too high for a straight-in approach to runway 33, Approach Control suggested that it make a 360-degree turn over Las Palmas and report again overhead Las Palmas. The aircraft continued descending. It turned slightly right of its 330 degree heading, passing east of Lima Airport, then made a left turn and passed over Lima-Callao Airport. It continued turning until it was headed south, passing west of Las Palmas in order to initiate the outbound procedure from the ILS back course, and then made a 180 degree turn to intercept the ILS back course (327 degrees). However, it kept to the normal intercept course for almost three minutes before starting its turn to the north. Its heading was 333 degrees when it hit La Cruz Peak, about 8 miles east of the approach track of the Morro Solar ILS back course.

Douglas DC-3

Crashed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

Curtiss C-46 Commando

The crew departed Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont for a local training flight. En route, the pilot voluntarily shut down the left engine to simulate a failure. As the crew elected to feather its propeller, the prop went into reverse. The crew decided to return to Santos Dumont Airport but as he was unable to maintain a safe altitude, he decided to ditch the aircraft 50 meters off the Itaipu beach. Both occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Following an uneventful flight from Rio de Janeiro, the pilot-in-command completed the approach at Brasília Airport. Following a wrong approach configuration, the aircraft landed hard and struck violently the runway surface. On impact, the undercarriage were damaged and the airplane went out of control and veered off runway to the left. While contacting soft ground, the undercarriage were sheared off and the airplane came to rest in flames. All 71 occupants were quickly evacuated and the aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.

Curtiss C-46 Commando

After touchdown at São Paulo-Congonhas, the airplane encountered difficulties to decelerate properly. It overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest few dozen yards farther. All three crew members evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Convair CV-240

The crew was completing a local training flight at Brasília Airport, consisting of touch and go maneuvers. Following several uneventful circuits, the crew started a new descent in poor weather conditions due to heavy rain falls when the wipers failed. As the pilot-in-command lost visual contact with the runway, he decided to open the window that was sheared off and struck the control column. In such conditions, the crew increased power on both engines and attempted a go around when the airplane stalled and crashed in flames few hundred yards short of runway threshold. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Douglas DC-3

The crew (one pilot under check and one instructor) were conducting a local training flight at Porto Alegre-Salgado Filho Airport. While passing over the runway at low height, the instructor shut down the right engine to simulate a failure when the airplane banked to the right. The instructor elected to correct the situation by an action on the rudder but the aircraft reached an hazardous attitude. The power was then reduced on the second engine and the aircraft crash landed. Both occupants were slightly injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

During the takeoff roll, the airplane started to skid and deviated from the centerline to the right. The pilot-in-command decided to rotate but as the aircraft's speed was too low, it stalled and hit the ground. It then overran and took off again. While facing a hill, the crew attempted a sharp turn to the left when the left wing hit the roof of a house. Out of control, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. All three crew members were killed.

Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

The aircraft arrived at Ciudad Trujillo on the morning of 16 August with No, 2 engine inoperative. It was decided to disembark the passengers there and continue the flight to New York via Miami, using only three engines, in order that the defective engine could be changed in New York. The aircraft, therefore, carrying only the crew, took off from General Andrews Airport, Ciudad Trujillo at 1516 hours with No. 2 propeller feathered. About 50 minutes after take-off, No. 4 engine propeller oversped and proved to be impossible to control or feather. It then tore free from the engine, damaging No. 3 engine propeller as it parted; No. 3 propeller was, therefore, feathered. In the meantime, No. 4 engine caught fire, and only No. 1 engine remained operative. As it was not possible to reach Ciudad Trujillo, an attempt was made to land on the road or the beach, but this failed owing to the large number of trees and the narrowness of the beach. Under these circumstances the aircraft was ditched parallel to the coast about 500 metres from it. It was considered that in carrying out the three-engined ferry flight without passengers, the operator acted in accordance with para. 6.2. 2, Part II of the ICAO International Standards and Recommended Practices, Annex 8 to the Convention, "when the State of Registry considers that the damage sustained is of a nature such that the aircraft is no longer airworthy, it shall prohibit the aircraft from resuming flight until it is restored to an airworthy condition; the State of Registry may, however, in exceptional circumstances, prescribe particular limiting conditions to permit the aircraft to fly without fare-paying passengers to an aerodrome at which it can be restored to an airworthy condition". After ditching, the aircraft sank to a depth of about 40 feet. On a second attempt the weather permitted a diving operation to be carried out, and inspection of the wreckage revealed the following in- formation: All six flap sections of the port wing were entirely separated from the aircraft. No. 1 engine propeller tore free at the time of impact, splitting the propeller shaft next to the propeller thrust bearing. No. 2 power plant was wrenched free from its nacelle and remained attached to it only by pipes and control cables. This propeller was feathered. The two inner flap sections of the starboard wing were fractured and partially detached from the aircraft. The No. 3 engine propeller also was feathered and the tip of one of its blades was broken a point 18 inches from the leading edge to 12 inches from the trailing edge. The trailing edge of the same blade also had two deep dents. Marks, apparently made by a propeller blade, were found on the right side of the No. 3 engine cowling, No. 4 engine propeller was missing but only a small part of the nose section of the No. 4 engine was broken. The diaphragm and the pitch reducing mechanism were in their original places. The fuselage was fractured and the crack extended diagonally across the main part from the front towards the right rear wall.

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Just after take-off, the pilot noticed an incipient fire in the left engine. Acting in accordance with airline regulations, he feathered the damaged engine, returning to the traffic pattern for a landing circuit and carrying out routine radio communications. On final approach, when he considered that a safe landing could be made, he operated the undercarriage lowering mechanism. Because of the intensity of th'e fire, which was in the undercarriage housing and not, as the pilot thought, in the engine, some parts must already have melted and the undercarriage did not respond to the mechanism. Apparently the critical situation had already passed, since the fire, although intense, was not producing much smoke. The pilot, therefore, decided to give full throttle, in order to avoid a belly landing. In this he was still following airline regulations. After this action, when the aircraft reached the intersection of runways 05 and 23, flames enveloped the left wing and detached it from the fuselage. The aircraft hit the ground and was destroyed. All occupants, 5 crew members and 35 passengers, were killed.

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed near the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.

Lockheed 10 Electra

The final approach to Lages Airport was completed under instruments flight rules due to low visibility caused by heavy rain falls. On landing, the twin engine aircraft bounced and hit the ground. The left main gear was sheared off and the aircraft came to rest with its left wing bent. All four occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Curtiss C-46 Commando

The aircraft left São Paulo-Congonhas Airport at 1123LT bound for Porto Alegre. Some 20 minutes prior to the estimated time of arrival, a fire in cargo hold 'G' was noted. The pilot executed an emergency descent while the mechanics tried, in vain, to extinguish the fire. The flight crew members were not able to see their instruments due to heavy smoke and had to keep their heads out of the window to carry out an emergency landing in hilly terrain. The passengers crowded in panic at the forward end of the cabin in an attempt to escape from the fire. This caused a dangerous and sudden change in the Centre of Gravity of the plane. The aircraft swung violently during the landing on rough ground. Source: ASN

Messerschmitt M.20

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Brazil. Occupant fate unknown.

Lockheed 10 Electra

On approach to Port Alegre Airport, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Guaíba River. All ten occupants were killed.

Junkers JU.52

Shortly after take off from Porto Alegre Airport, while climbing, the three engine aircraft christened 'Maua' stalled and crashed in the Guaíba Lagoon, off the airport. Fifteen people were rescued while six others, among them the pilot Harald Stunde and the flight engineer Bruno, were killed.

Junkers A.50

Shortly after takeoff from Rio Grande Airport, en route to Porto Alegre, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility due to fog. While attempting an emergency landing, the aircraft crashed in a marshy field located on the Mosquitos Island, some 13 km north of the airfield. A pilot was killed while the second occupant was seriously injured.