Varig Flight 837

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Varig Flight 837
Varig Douglas DC-8-33 Volpati-1.jpg
A Varig Douglas DC-8-33, similar to the accident aircraft
Accident
Date5 March 1967 (1967-03-05)
Summary Controlled flight into terrain caused by pilot error
Site Roberts International Airport, Monrovia, Liberia
6°12′25″N10°22′44″W / 6.207°N 10.37897°W / 6.207; -10.37897
Total fatalities56 (5 ground fatalities)
Aircraft
Aircraft type Douglas DC-8-33
Operator Varig
Registration PP-PEA
Flight origin Fiumicino – Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (IATA code: FCO, ICAO code: LIRF), Rome, Italy
Stopover Roberts International Airport (IATA code: ROB, ICAO code: GLRB), Monrovia, Liberia
Destination Galeão International Airport (IATA code: GIG, ICAO code: SBGL), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Passengers71
Crew19
Fatalities51
Survivors39
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities5

Varig Flight 837 was a flight from Fiumicino Airport, Rome, Italy to Roberts International Airport, Monrovia, Liberia, originating in Beirut, Lebanon. On 5 March 1967, due to pilot error, the flight crashed during approach to Runway 04 of Roberts International Airport. [1] Of the 71 passengers and 19 crew on board, 50 passengers and the flight engineer perished. In addition, 5 people on the ground were also killed. The aircraft caught fire and was written off. This is the worst aviation accident in Liberia to this day. [2] [3]

Investigators determined the probable cause of the crash to be "The failure of the pilot-in-command to arrest in time the fast descent at a low altitude upon which he had erroneously decided, instead of executing a missed approach when he found himself too high over the locator beacon." [4]

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References

  1. "GI survives plane crash fatal to 56". Telegraph-Herald . Dubuque, Iowa. Associated Press. 5 March 1967. p. 15.
  2. "Liberia accident history at Aviation Safety Network" . Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  3. da Silva, Germano; Ari César, Carlos (2008). "Armadilha na aproximação" [Trap on approach]. O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928–1996[The witch's trail: history of Brazilian commercial aviation in the 20th century through its accidents 1928–1996] (in Portuguese) (2 ed.). Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS. pp. 249–255. ISBN   978-85-7430-760-2.
  4. "Accident description at Aviation Safety Network" . Retrieved 14 January 2010.