Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo

The airplane departed Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport at 2015LT on flight VP005 to São Paulo. Following an uneventful flight, the crew was unable to lower the undercarriage and decided to complete a belly landing. Upon touchdown, the airplane slid for few hundred meters before coming to rest in flames onto the runway. All 44 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Flight / Schedule

Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo

Aircraft

Boeing 737-200

Registration

PP-SMX

MSN

20969

Year of Manufacture

1974

Date

April 2, 1978 at 09:20 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

São Paulo-Congonhas São Paulo

Region

South America • Brazil

Coordinates

-20.8056°, -49.4054°

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On April 2, 1978 at 09:20 PM, Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo experienced a crash involving Boeing 737-200, operated by VASP - Viação Aérea de São Paulo, with the event recorded near São Paulo-Congonhas São Paulo.

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.

44 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 44 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 7, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 37, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The airplane departed Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport at 2015LT on flight VP005 to São Paulo. Following an uneventful flight, the crew was unable to lower the undercarriage and decided to complete a belly landing. Upon touchdown, the airplane slid for few hundred meters before coming to rest in flames onto the runway. All 44 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Aircraft reference details include registration PP-SMX, MSN 20969, year of manufacture 1974.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -20.8056°, -49.4054°.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The airplane departed Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport at 2015LT on flight VP005 to São Paulo. Following an uneventful flight, the crew was unable to lower the undercarriage and decided to complete a belly landing. Upon touchdown, the airplane slid for few hundred meters before coming to rest in flames onto the runway. All 44 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

7

Passengers On Board

37

Estimated Survivors

44

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 44

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

South America • Brazil

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Boeing 737-200

Registration

PP-SMX

MSN

20969

Year of Manufacture

1974

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