1960 Rio de Janeiro mid-air collision
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | February 25, 1960 |
| Summary | Mid-air collision |
| Site | Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Total fatalities | 61 |
| Total survivors | 3 |
| First aircraft | |
| A U.S. Navy Douglas R6D-1 similar to the accident aircraft | |
| Type | Douglas R6D-1 (DC-6A) |
| Operator | United States Navy |
| Registration | 131582 |
| Flight origin | Buenos Aires-Ezeiza |
| Destination | Galeão Air Force Base |
| Occupants | 38 |
| Passengers | 31 |
| Crew | 7 |
| Fatalities | 35 |
| Survivors | 3 |
| Second aircraft | |
| A Douglas DC-3 similar to the accident aircraft | |
| Type | Douglas DC-3 |
| Operator | Real Transportes Aéreos |
| Registration | PP-AXD |
| Flight origin | Campos dos Goytacazes |
| Destination | Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport |
| Occupants | 26 |
| Passengers | 23 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Fatalities | 26 |
| Survivors | 0 |
The 1960 Rio de Janeiro mid-air collision was an aerial collision between two aircraft over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 25, 1960. A United States Navy Douglas R6D-1 (DC-6A) (BuNo 131582) flying from Buenos Aires-Ezeiza to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Air Force Base collided over Guanabara Bay, close to the Sugarloaf Mountain, with a Real Transportes Aéreos Douglas DC-3, registration PP-AXD, operating flight 751 from Campos dos Goytacazes to Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport. The crash occurred at 16:10 local time at an altitude of 1,600 meters (5,249 feet).
The US Navy aircraft was carrying members of the United States Navy Band to Brazil to perform at a diplomatic reception attended by US President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Of the 38 occupants of the American aircraft, 3 survived. All 26 passengers and crew of the Brazilian aircraft died. The probable causes of the accident are disputed, but include human error, both air and ground, and faulty equipment.