Pilot error cited for 2014 Brazil plane crash
January 20, 2016
Pilot error in bad weather caused the 2014 plane crash that killed Socialist Party presidential hopeful Eduardo Campos, Brazilian air force investigators said Tuesday. The crash near Sao Paulo killed the candidate and six others.
The Cessna business jet that departed Rio de Janeiro on August 13 2014 "did not follow its charted route," said Lieutenant Raul de Souza, who led the probe into the crash. The "disoriented" pilots took a left turn "for no known reason" and gave air control operators incorrect information on their position, de Souza said. "There is no evidence of any type of mechanical failure in what was found."
Although the pilot and co-pilot each had 20 years' experience, neither had received proper training to fly that model of plane. An analysis of the voice recordings also found that the co-pilot had showed signs of "fatigue and sleep deprivation, which may have contributed" to their performance.
The crash occurred with Campos, who polled in third place in his challenge to the incumbent from the left, en route to a campaign rally.
His running mate, Marina Silva, took his place but fell to Rousseff and right-wing Aecio Neves. She had briefly led but saw support dwindle in the final days of the campaign.
mkg/jm (AFP, AP)