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Accidents · NTSB ERA14RA384 · Preliminary: the investigation is not finished

Cessna 560XL accident near Santos, Br, August 13, 2014

On August 13, 2014 at about 10:03 am local time, a Cessna 560XL, registered PRAFA, was destroyed in an accident near Santos (Base Aerea De Santos airport). It was an other work-use flight under non-U.S. private rules. 7 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
August 13, 2014 · about 10:03 am local time
Place
Santos, Brazil · Base Aerea De Santos · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
7 people were killed.
Weather
instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
Aircraft
Cessna 560XL · all 560XLs on the register
Registration
PRAFA · no longer on the register · serial 560-6066
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Other work-use flight · non-U.S. private rules

The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record

On August 13, 2014, about 1003 hours local, a Cessna 560 XL, Brazilian Registration PR-AFA, impacted a densely populated residential area, first colliding with a building then the ground in Santos, SP, Brazil, following an approach to Base Aerea De Santos (SBST), Guaruja, SP, Brazil. The airline transport pilot, airline transport co-pilot, and 5 passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact and a postcrash fire. Multiple adjacent buildings sustained impact and fire damage; there were 3 minor ground injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The airplane was owned by Cessna Finance Export Corporation, leased to and operated by AF Andrade Empr. E Participacoes Ltda., on an instrument flight rules flight plan under Brazil Part 91 regulations. The flight originated about 0922 from Santos Dumont Airport (SBRJ), Rio De Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. The purpose of the flight was to transport a Brazil Presidential candidate to SBST, where approximately 8 to 10 people were waiting for the flight's arrival. According to preliminary air traffic control information, after takeoff the flight proceeded towards SBST. At 0955:21, while in contact with Sao Paulo Approach Control flying at 6,700 feet approximately 13 nautical miles southeast of SBST, a flightcrew member advised the controller that they had visual reference and requested frequency change. The flightcrew member did not cancel the IFR clearance. The controller approved the frequency change and provided the airport radio frequency for SBST; however, there were no instructions regarding the NDB approach. The flight proceeded in a west-southwesterly direction then turned to a north-northwesterly direction and proceeded towards the Santos non-directional beacon (NDB) identified as SAT, which is the final approach fix for the runway 35 NDB approach. The airplane continued towards the SAT NDB where due to radar coverage limitations, the airplane was lost from radar about 0959:43. The airplane at that time was flying at 2,600 feet, the groundspeed was 175 knots, and the airplane was located south-southeast of the SAT NDB. A pilot-rated witness on the airport near the departure end of runway 35 waiting for the arrival reported the weather conditions consisted of light rain which began at 0840, and the wind was from the south at 8 to 12 knots. The witness who was inside a building adjacent to the ramp heard a radio call from a flightcrew member, and reported hearing a sound from the engines consistent with a go-around. The witness went outside on the ramp where he first observed the airplane near the departure end of runway 35. The airplane was below the base of the clouds in a wings level attitude with the landing gear retracted. The airplane banked to the left between 15 and 20 degrees, and after clearing cranes that are located less than 1 nautical mile west of the runway, he diverted his attention and went inside. The airplane was viewed on radar at 1002:30; the airplane at that time was approximately 1.2 nautical miles west-southwest of SBST. The airplane flew in a southerly direction, and was not observed on radar after 1002:31; the next sweep was 1002:36. Witnesses near the accident site reported observing the airplane in a nose low and left wing low attitude, followed by a roll to wings level, then the airplane returned to left wing and nose-low attitude. The airplane impacted in a densely populated residential and commercial area. A surface observation taken at SBST on the day of the accident at 1000, or approximately 3 minutes before the accident indicates that the wind was from 230 degrees at 7 knots, the visibility was 3000 meters with moderate rain and mist. Broken clouds existed at 800 feet, and overcast clouds existed at 3,200 feet. The temperature and dew point were 19 and 18 degrees Celsius, respectively, and the altimeter setting was 1022 hectopascals. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Brazil. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Aeronautical Accident Prevention And Investigation Center (CENIPA) Information Technology Division SHIS-QI 05-VI Comar Brasilia-DF, Brazil, 71.615.600 Phone: 55 61 3364 8819 Facsimile: 55 61 3365 1004 E-mail: dti@cenipa.aer.mil.br This report is for informational purposes only, and contains information released by or obtained for the Government of Brazil.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.

The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English

Pilot

  • Certificate: airline transport pilot
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
  • Flight time: 7,000 hours in all
  • Seat: left
  • Injury: fatal

Co-pilot

  • Certificate: airline transport pilot
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 4,633 hours in all
  • Seat: rgt
  • Injury: fatal

The aircraft

  • Maximum gross weight: 20,200 lb
  • Seats: 10
  • Landing gear: retractable
  • Engine: Pratt & Whitney PW545C (turbofan); 0 hours total
  • Fire on the ground

The flight

  • Departed from: SBRJ Rio De Janeiro at 9:22 am
  • Destination: SBST Santos
  • Flight plan: IFR
  • Runway 35, 4,560 ft by 148 ft
  • A second pilot was aboard

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
  • Visibility: 2 statute miles
  • Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft
  • Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
  • Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
  • Observation at 10:00 am from SBST, 2 miles away

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Flight crew2
Passengers5

Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report

The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.

Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.