Porto Alegre – Passo Fundo

On July 1, 1963 at 12:00 AM, Porto Alegre – Passo Fundo experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by VARIG - Viação Aérea Rio Grandense, with the event recorded near Passo Fundo Rio Grande do Sul.

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.

18 people were known to be on board, 15 fatalities were recorded, 3 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 83.3%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 15, passenger fatalities: 13, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. 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.

Aircraft reference details include registration PP-VBV, MSN 15444/26889, year of manufacture 1944.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -28.6466°, -53.6054°.