Rio de Janeiro – Joinville

On October 30, 1998 at 08:36 PM, Rio de Janeiro – Joinville experienced a crash involving Piper PA-31 Cheyenne, operated by Busscar, with the event recorded near São Francisco do Sul Santa Catarina.

The flight was categorized as executive/corporate/business and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a plain, valley crash site.

3 people were known to be on board, 3 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 2, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Following an uneventful flight from Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, the pilot started the descent to Joinville Airport by night and marginal weather conditions. He was informed about the visibility at destination being 2 km with ceiling at 650 feet. At 2032LT, he initiated the approach and reported to ATC that if it was raining, he would divert to Curitiba. Four minutes later, on final approach, the twin engine aircraft struck trees and crashed about 15 km southeast of runway 33 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration PT-WHI, MSN 31-7920077, year of manufacture 1979.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -26.2495°, -48.6308°.