Brazilian civil aviation authorities are citing windshear as a preliminary probable cause of the crash of a Rico Linhas Aéreas Embraer EMB-120 Brasílias late last month, killing 23 of the 31 people on board. Lightning strike is also being investigated. The Brasilia crashed nearly 6km (3.2nm) short of Rio Branco International Airport in heavy rain. The crash came as fellow Brazilian carrier TAM suffered mishaps with two of its Fokker F100s on 30 August within 90min of each other. The first F100 suffered a serious fuel leak, and the pilot aimed to force-land the aircraft on a highway near Birígui. But with both engines flamed out, he had to set down on adjacent farmland. A preliminary analysis indicates a leak in a fuel-line leading to the right engine's fuel-pump. Nearly 80min later, with nose gear unsafe warning, TAM flight JJ3499 executed a gear-up landing at São Paulo's Viracopos airport. TAM plans to replace its F100s by 2007/08.
Source: Flight International
