São Paulo – Uberlândia

The aircraft departed São Paulo-Congonhas Airport on an ambulance flight to Uberlândia, carrying two doctors and two pilots who should pick-up a patient. The copilot was pilot flying. This was his first flight on a Learjet without an instructor. This was against regulations since the copilot was not fully qualified yet and the captain was not qualified to act as an instructor. Upon arrival at Uberlândia, weather conditions were poor with a low ceiling at 100 meters (clouds 8/8), fog and an horizontal visibility less than 200 meters (below minimums weather conditions). The crew abandoned the approach and initiated a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, a second approach was also abandoned. Rather than diverting to the alternate airport, the crew attempted a third approach when the aircraft struck the ground and crashed short of runway threshold. All four occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Flight / Schedule

São Paulo – Uberlândia

Aircraft

Learjet 35

Registration

PT-LIH

MSN

35-433

Year of Manufacture

1981

Date

March 15, 1991 at 09:07 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Ambulance

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Uberlândia Minas Gerais

Region

South America • Brazil

Coordinates

-18.9158°, -48.2519°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On March 15, 1991 at 09:07 PM, São Paulo – Uberlândia experienced a crash involving Learjet 35, operated by Líder Taxi Aéreo, with the event recorded near Uberlândia Minas Gerais.

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

4 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft departed São Paulo-Congonhas Airport on an ambulance flight to Uberlândia, carrying two doctors and two pilots who should pick-up a patient. The copilot was pilot flying. This was his first flight on a Learjet without an instructor. This was against regulations since the copilot was not fully qualified yet and the captain was not qualified to act as an instructor. Upon arrival at Uberlândia, weather conditions were poor with a low ceiling at 100 meters (clouds 8/8), fog and an horizontal visibility less than 200 meters (below minimums weather conditions). The crew abandoned the approach and initiated a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, a second approach was also abandoned. Rather than diverting to the alternate airport, the crew attempted a third approach when the aircraft struck the ground and crashed short of runway threshold. All four occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Aircraft reference details include registration PT-LIH, MSN 35-433, year of manufacture 1981.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -18.9158°, -48.2519°.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The aircraft departed São Paulo-Congonhas Airport on an ambulance flight to Uberlândia, carrying two doctors and two pilots who should pick-up a patient. The copilot was pilot flying. This was his first flight on a Learjet without an instructor. This was against regulations since the copilot was not fully qualified yet and the captain was not qualified to act as an instructor. Upon arrival at Uberlândia, weather conditions were poor with a low ceiling at 100 meters (clouds 8/8), fog and an horizontal visibility less than 200 meters (below minimums weather conditions). The crew abandoned the approach and initiated a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, a second approach was also abandoned. Rather than diverting to the alternate airport, the crew attempted a third approach when the aircraft struck the ground and crashed short of runway threshold. All four occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

2

Passengers On Board

2

Estimated Survivors

4

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 4

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

São Paulo – Uberlândia

Flight Type

Ambulance

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

South America • Brazil

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Learjet 35

Registration

PT-LIH

MSN

35-433

Year of Manufacture

1981