TAM 3054: The Deadliest Accident in Brazil’s Civil Aviation History
TAM 3054: The Deadliest Accident in Brazil’s Civil Aviation History
On July 17, 2007, TAM Linhas Aéreas Flight JJ3054, an Airbus A320, was operating a scheduled domestic flight from Porto Alegre to São Paulo’s Congonhas Airport. Upon landing at 6:54 PM local time, the aircraft was unable to stop on the runway and overran it, crashing into a building owned by the same airline across the road and bursting into flames.
All 187 passengers and crew members on board, along with 12 people on the ground, lost their lives—bringing the total death toll to 199. It remains the deadliest aviation disaster in Brazil’s civil aviation history.
The investigation identified several key contributing factors: the right engine’s thrust reverser was deactivated, the runway was wet and slippery, braking performance was insufficient, and necessary airport infrastructure upgrades had not been completed in time. Despite previous safety warnings about the runway, corrective measures had been delayed.
The TAM 3054 crash is seen not only as an operational failure but also as the result of a broader chain of systemic neglect. For those interested, a documentary about the accident was released on Netflix on April 23, 2025. [This is not an advertisement]
