1960 — Feb 25, USN R6D & Brazilian DC-3 collide in fog off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil–35USN of 61

–61 Salisbury Times, MD. “U.S. and Brazilian Craft Collide Over Rio Harbor.” 2-26-1960, p.1.
–61 Sturkey. Mid-Air: Accident Reports…from Military and Airline Mid-Air Collisions. 2008, p. 122.
–52 Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (130265 to 135773). 10-7-2011.
–35 ASN. Accident Description. USN Douglas R6D-1 (DC-6) Rio de Janeiro, 25 Feb 1960.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network: “Narrative: US Navy DC-6 131582 took off from Buenos Aires for a flight to Rio de Janeiro at 08:25. At 12:56 the crew reported…entering the Rio Approach Control zone. The plane then descended to 1500m….At 13:07 the flight reported passing over RJ [Rio de Janeiro] at 1800m, but the plane was in fact still approaching the NDB [Nondirectional radio Beacon]! False radio compass indications in the area are not uncommon; they are influenced by a steel cable car in the area.

“REAL DC-3 PP-AXD [REAL Transportes Aereos] had left Campos at 12:10 for a flight to Rio de Janeiro. The flight reported at the Porto das Caixas fix at 12:58, at 1650m. He was told to head for the RJ NDB at 1800m and was later cleared for 1500m to carry out…an approach to Santos Dumont Airport. The DC-3 overflew the RJ NDB at 13:06 at 1700m. While carrying out the standard 180deg turn to the left, the DC-3 was hit on its right side in an upward direction by the US Navy DC-6.

“The collision occurred at about 1600m; the DC-3 crashed into the bay just southeast of Sugar Loaf Mountain; the DC-6 crashed into the bay just north of the mountain.

“PROBABLE CAUSE: “The accident was attributed to error of personnel – pilot of the DC-6 – improper piloting procedure when flying on authorized instrument flight. The pilot disobeyed the instructions transmitted by Rio Approach Control.” (Brazilian Air Ministry report).

“An investigation by the US Navy came to a different cause:

“The accident cannot be attributed to either of the aircraft involved, the manner in which either was operated, or to any significant actions or errors of the crews. The roles of the language problem, the lack of modern air navigation and control aids and the methods of aircraft traffic control used at Rio de Janeiro, although extremely material, do not attain the status of immediate causes of the accident according to the evidence adduced. Had these matters been different, in one or more respects favorable to greater air safety, this accident might have been avoided. These problems were, however, common to the flights of all aircraft in the area and were well known by the pilots and controller to exist. It is evident that uncertainty on the part of the controller as to the original position of the DC3; his underestimation of the time factors, including aircraft reaction time; and his lack of appreciation of the communications difficulties and the increasing seriousness of the situation, combined to create the conditions which led to the collision.” (US Navy).”

(Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. 25 Feb 1960 USN Douglas R6D-1 (DC-6) Rio de Janeiro.)

Baugher: “131582 (c/n 43685/307) in midair collision Feb 25, 1960 off Rio de Janeiro with DC-3 PP-AXD (ex 42-93417). Both aircraft fell into Guanabara Bay. All 26 occupants of the DC-3 perished, but 12 out of the 38 occupants of the R6D survived.” (Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (130265 to 135773). 10-7-2011.)

Newspapers

Feb 26: “Rio de Janeiro (AP) – The collision of a U S. Navy plane and a Brazilian airliner in which 61 persons died left a tragic aftermath today to President Eisenhower’s triumphal visit to Brazil. A fleet of launches crisscrossed Guanabara Bay off Rio, seeking missing bodies of those who died in the collision in an overcast Thursday. Only 25 bodies were recovered Thursday.

“Thirty-five of the dead, and the only three survivors, were U.S. Navy men. Among the dead were 19 leading members of the U.S. Navy’s world-famed band, ‘the cream of the crop,’ coming from Buenos Aires to play for a dinner Eisenhower gave Thursday night for Brazilian President Juscelino Kubitschek.

“The survivors and seven of the dead were members of the U. S. Navy antisubmarine team which had been sent to advise the Argentine navy after a mystery submarine was reported in a gulf on the Argentine coast. No sub was found, and the team was on its way home.

“Others dead in the crash were the 7 crewmen of the Navy plane, a four-engine R6D, 2 other Navy passengers, and 22 Brazilian passengers and the crew of 4 aboard the airliner.

“The shocked U.S. President, who knew many members of the band, went on with the dinner for
Kubitschek but canceled a reception and a meeting with members of the U.S. Embassy staff.

“Presidential Press Secretary James C. Hagerty reported Eisenhower ‘feels terrible about this tragic accident’ but planned to continue his South American tour. Eisenhower learned of the tragedy shortly after addressing a group of business leaders at Sao Paulo, 200 miles southwest of here.

“Both Eisenhower and Kubitschek sent messages of sympathy to the families of those killed in the crash and hurried to Miguel Couto [unclear] Hospital to visit the three survivors as soon as they returned from Sao Paulo. The two Presidents stopped at the bed of each of the men, gave each a sympathetic pat and expressed wishes for their speedy recovery….

“The U. S. Embassy said the Navy plane coming from Buenos Aires was scheduled to fly at 6,000 feet and land at Galeao Airport, on an island in the bay. The two-engine Real airliner, which was coming from Vitoria, north of Rio de Janeiro, was scheduled to fly at 5.000 feet for a landing at Santos Dumont Airport, a few miles from Galea.

“The planes collided and broke in pieces near Sugar Loaf Mountain, at the entrance to the bay, one of the city’s landmarks. Residents of seashore apartments looked on in horror as the wreckage plunged into the bay.” (Salisbury Times, MD. “U.S. and Brazilian Craft Collide Over Rio Harbor.” 2-26-1960, p. 1.)

Feb 26: “Washington (AP) – A sudden collision of planes in fog high over Rio de Janeiro’s lovely bay has wiped out a select group of the most talented musicians in the world-famous Navy band.

“The news that 19 Navy musicians were among the more than 60 persons, killed in Thursday’s tragedy shocked and saddened those they left behind at home. Many lived in southeast Washington, or in Virginia and Maryland not far from the old Navy yard, where the band had its headquarters in an old, unused sail loft. Many of the victims had been with the band for 20 years or more. They were selected for the Rio trip because of their double talents in both martial band music and intricate orchestral classics.

“Just before Musician 1st C Vincent P. Tramontana, 29, left on the South American tour, his wife Beatrice was called to New York where her mother had suffered a stroke. Then their 4-year-old son had an asthmatic attack and had to have an emergency operation to place a breathing tube in his throat. Tramontana’s mother has a heart condition. Relatives didn’t know whether they should tell her of her son’s death. Tramontana, of Hyattsville, Md., was a violinist and joined the Navy Band 10 years ago after studying at New York’s Juilliard School of Music….” (Salisbury Times, MD. “Crash Victims Described as Cream of Navy Band.” 2-26-1960, p. 1.)

Feb 26: “Washington (AP) – The Navy last night issued this revised list of bandsmen missing in the plane crash at Rio de Janeiro. A revised list of crew members of the plane also was released. Among those on the list:

Chief Musician E. L. Armiger, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Armiger, Baltimore.
Chief Musician R. R. Mickellaf, husband of Mrs. Moreno Mickellaf, Cheverly, Md.
Chief Musician Jerome Rosenthal, husband of Mrs. Francis Rosenthal, Washington,
D.C., and brother of Alfred Rosenthal, Pikesville, Md.
Musician 1-C A. M. D’Amico, husband of Mrs. Judith D’Amico, Adelphi, Md.

“The plane crew missing, with their next of kin included:

Lt. J. G. Carle Lorenz Jackson, husband of Mrs. Laura Virginia Jackson, Hollywood, Md.
Chief Aviation Machinists Mate James A. Cordell…Patuxent River [NAS], Md.
Aviation Machinists Mate 2-C Russell Edward Martin…, Lexington Park, Md.
Lt. J. G. Owen Proctor Hartshorn…Lexington Park, Md.
Hospital Corpsman L. R. Maynard…Lexington Park, Md.
Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Victor Dale Fugate…Lexington Park, Md.
Aviation Technician J.B. Erickson…Oldtown, Md. ….Norfolk, Va.”

(Salisbury Times, MD. “Names Released.” 2-26-1960, p. 8.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Accident Description. USN Douglas R6D-1 (DC-6) Rio de Janeiro, 25 Feb 1960. Accessed at:
https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:upU3UTEtaTQJ:https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php%3Fid%3D19600225-3&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-b-1-d

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (130265 to 135773). Oct 7, 2011 update. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries15.html

Salisbury Times, MD. “Crash Victims Described as Cream of Navy Band.” 2-26-1960, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=5664623

Salisbury Times, MD. “Names Released.” 2-26-1960, p. 8. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=5664955

Salisbury Times, MD. “U.S. and Brazilian Craft Collide Over Rio Harbor.” 2-26-1960 p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=5664623

Sturkey, Marion F. Mid-Air: Accident Reports and Voice Transcripts from Military and Airline Mid-Air Collisions. Plum Branch, SC: Heritage Press International, 2008.