Embraer EMB-120 Brasília crash, Mar 3, 1997, Vilhena
Embraer EMB-120 Brasília accident on March 3, 1997 near Vilhena, Rondônia, Brazil with no fatalities. Cause: Poor crew coordination, wrong approach...
- Date: March 3, 1997
- Aircraft: Embraer EMB-120 Brasília
- Location: Vilhena, Rondônia, Brazil
- Fatalities: 0
- Phase of flight: Approach and landing
- Cause: Poor crew coordination, wrong approach configuration, failure to monitor the approach, no approach briefing, and the captain's failure to supervise the copilot, with the city in a power blackout.
An Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia operated by Pantanal on a Campo Grande to Vilhena flight attempted an approach below minimums at night. The captain pressed on despite a copilot's suggestion to divert, the decision height had been set incorrectly, and the aircraft descended below the minimum descent altitude, struck trees and burned. All 16 occupants evacuated.