Varig Flight 837

Varig Flight 837 was a flight from Fiumicino Airport, Rome, Italy to Galeão International Airport, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, originating in Beirut, Lebanon, and with a stop in Monrovia, Liberia. On 5 March 1967, due to pilot error, the flight crashed during approach to Runway 04 of Roberts International Airport.^[1] Of the 71 passengers and 19 crew on board, 50 passengers and the flight engineer perished. In addition, 5 people on the ground were also killed. The aircraft caught fire and was written off. This is the worst aviation accident in Liberia to this day.^[2][3]

Varig Flight 837

PP-PEA, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in July 1966
Accident
Date	5 March 1967 (1967-03-05)
Summary	Controlled flight into terrain caused by pilot error
Site	Roberts International Airport, Harbel, Liberia 6.207°N 10.37897°W / 6.207; -10.37897
Total fatalities	56
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Douglas DC-8-33
Operator	Varig
Registration	PP-PEA
Flight origin	Beirut International Airport, Beirut, Lebanon
1st stopover	Fiumicino Airport, Rome, Italy
2nd stopover	Roberts International Airport, Monrovia, Liberia
Destination	Galeão International Airport, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Passengers	71
Crew	19
Fatalities	51
Survivors	39
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities	5

Investigation

Investigators determined the probable cause of the crash to be "The failure of the pilot-in-command to arrest in time the fast descent at a low altitude upon which he had erroneously decided, instead of executing a missed approach when he found himself too high over the locator beacon."^[4]