Flight history

Flight 168's first leg was from São Paulo, Brazil, to Rio de Janeiro, which was completed uneventfully. The flight then departed Rio de Janeiro on its way to Fortaleza. As the flight approached its destination, it was cleared to descend from its cruising altitude of flight level 330 – approximately 33,000 feet (10,059 m) mean sea level – to 5,000 feet (1,524 m). Flying at night, with the lights of the city of Fortaleza in front, the Boeing 727 descended through its 5,000 feet (1,524 m) clearance limit, and kept descending until it crashed into a mountainside at 2,500 feet (762 m), killing all 137 on board.

Investigation

Investigation revealed that the captain, possibly disoriented due to bright lights from the city ahead, continued the descent well below the 5,000-foot (1,524-m) clearance limit, despite being warned twice by the altitude alert system, as well as by the co-pilot, of the terrain ahead. As the Boeing kept descending, it struck a wooded mountainside at 2,500 feet (762 m) and crashed.

From the final cockpit voice recorder translated transcript:

F/O = First Officer
CAPT = Captain

F/O: Can you see there are some hills in front?
[Sound of altitude alert]
CAPT: What? There's what?
F/O: Some hills, isn't there?

[Sound of impact]