Rio de Janeiro – Vitória

On May 9, 1962 at 07:30 PM, Rio de Janeiro – Vitória experienced a crash involving Convair CV-240, operated by Cruzeiro do Sul, with the event recorded near Vitoria Espírito Santo.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

25 people were known to be on board, 23 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 92.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 22, passenger fatalities: 20, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft was flying the Rio de Janeiro - Vitória segment of a scheduled international flight. A 2220 GMT it reported it was over Guararapi at 2,700 m and in IMC. The aircraft was authorized to descend to 2,100 m and told to maintain that altitude until reaching the Vitória NDB. At 2228 it reported it was three minutes out at 2,100 m and in VMC. The flight continued its descent and was given landing instructions for runway 23. The controller in the tower watched the aircraft descending, and at the end of the downwind leg he saw the landing lights being adjusted. When the aircraft reported on final, the landing instructions were repeated. Shortly thereafter power was applied in an effort to climb the aircraft, but it collided with a eucalyptus tree at a height of 40 m, 1,860 m from the threshold of runway 23. At that stage of the approach the aircraft should been at a minimum altitude of 190 m (150 m above the ground). Fire broke following impact and destroyed the airplane. Two passengers were seriously injured while all 23 other occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration PP-CEZ, MSN 25, year of manufacture 1949.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -20.6542°, -40.4902°.