Draft:VASP Flight 640

VASP Flight 640
An Embraer EMB-110 of VASP similar to the aircraft involved in the accident. This aircraft would be involved in an accident in 1984
Accident
Date27 February 1975 (1975-02-27)
SummaryEngine failure on takeoff
Site
Aircraft
Aircraft typeEmbraer EMB-110C Bandeirante
OperatorVASP
IATA flight No.VP640
RegistrationPP-SBE
Flight originSão Paulo–Congonhas Airport, São Paulo, Brazil
StopoverAraçatuba Airport, Araçatuba, Brazil
DestinationBauru Airport, Bauru, Brazil
Occupants15
Passengers13
Crew2
Fatalities15
Survivors0

VASP Flight 640 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Sao Paulo to Bauru, Brazil with an intermediate stopover in Aracatuba, Brazil.[1] On February 27, 1975, the aircraft operating the flight suffered an engine failure shortly after takeoff from São Paulo-Congonhas Airport and crashed into a nearby residential area.[1] All 15 people on board were killed but there were no injuries or fatalities on the ground.[1] It was the first fatal accident involving an Embraer EMB-110 and the first hull loss of an aircraft of this type.

Aircraft and crew

The aircraft involved was an Embraer EMB-110C Bandeirante, registration PP-SBE (serial no. 110021), built in 1974.[1] The aircraft was delivered to VASP in May 1974 and was powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 turboprop engines.[1]

The crew consisted of a captain and a first officer:

  • Captain Milton Luís Figueroa (age 29) was the pilot flying during the accident flight and had accumulated a total of 4,125 flight hours, 625 of which were on the Embraer EMB-110.[1]
  • First officer Alberto Silva Bastos (aged 24) had accumulated a total of 392 flight hours, 204 of which were on the Embraer EMB-110.[1]

Accident

Weather conditions were excellent at the time of departure.[1] The flight lifted off from Runway 34 at Congonhas Airport at 6:25 a.m.[1] Moments after takeoff, the operating sound of engine No. 2 changed, followed shortly by a loss of power. The captain initiated a left turn but was unable to maintain altitude.[1] The aircraft then entered a steep left dive, flipping upside down.[1] The crew tried to counteract the left roll by applying full right rudder in an attempt to level the aircraft.[1] It then crashed into the backyards of four houses in a residential area at Rua Espairada 997/997A, located 1.5 kilometers northwest of the airport, breaking apart on impact and killing all 15 people onboard.[1] The tail section came to rest on one of the destroyed houses.[1] Despite the extensive damage to the houses, there were no fatalities on the ground.[1]

Investigation

Analyzing the debris and wreckage of the aircraft, it was found that the pattern of denting on the left engine's propeller blade indicated that the engine was operating at low power, which could explain the aircraft's pull and nosedive to the left after liftoff.[1] This indicated that the engine failed after takeoff. Further analysis showed that two fuel injectors in the left engine were in poor condition and thus could not deliver fuel to the engine, causing it to flame out and fail.[1] In addition, the fuel lever to the left engine was found in the idle position or "cutoff" position, preventing any fuel from reaching the engine.[1] However, the propeller on the left engine was not found in the feathered position which should have occurred after the engine failed.[1] The investigators agreed that the most likely cause of the left turn was that the captain decided to return to the airport, given that the aircraft was at its' maximum takeoff weight and weather conditions were less than ideal, which prevented the crew from continuing the flight.[1] The investigators were unable to find any mechanical-related cause for the steep left bank.[1] Although dust and other debris were found in the right engine's fuel injector, it was still functioning normally and providing adequate thrust without suffering a massive loss of power.[1] This was due to the aircraft type being frequently operated on "unprepared runways" (ex. the runway is not fully cleaned prior to takeoff, allowing debris to enter the engine components).[1] Without the flight data or the cockpit voice recording available, the investigators assumed this as the most probable cause of the accident.[1] Despite this, the investigators were unable to determine with full certainty what happened exactly during the two minute flight.[1]

The final report concluded that the cause of the crash remains undetermined.[1]

Despite this, some recommendations were implemented as a result of the accident:[1]

  • maintenance crews must maintain the operation of fuel control units to make sure that they are performing optimally and are not clogged with debris; if debris exists inside components, components must be thoroughly cleaned
  • all airlines in Brazil operating the Embraer Badeirante must be outfitted with both a flight data and cockpit voice recorder

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa https://sistema.cenipa.fab.mil.br/cenipa/paginas/relatorios/rf/pt/PP-SBE_27_02_1975.pdf

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