Maps Are Good

I was reading the Wikipedia entry on the mid-air collision over Brazil back in 2006 last night and I noticed a “related” article. It was about Varig Flight 254. Varig 254 -- a Boeing 737 -- ran out of fuel and crashed into the jungle.

The cause of the crash was blindingly simple. Instead of flying North, towards their destination, the pilots flew West.

”Prior to take off from a scheduled stop in Marabá, Pará, towards the final destination, the crew entered an incorrect heading into the flight computer. Instead of flying towards its destination, the crew flew due West and after some time found themselves over a remote area of the Amazon jungle. Attempts to reach an alternative airport were unsuccessful, and the plane eventually ran out of fuel. The pilot made a forced landing in the jungle. “

Here’s a map for orientation. See how blindingly simple the mistake is ? If you take the time to look at a map ?


View Larger Map

The accident makes for interesting reading. You might tell yourself we couldn’t make this kind of mistake with today’s technology. That’s probably the exact same thing the pilot told himself when he put “270” in the HSI and programed the FMS to fly 187 miles into the Amazon jungle. Trust me, HSI and FMS sounded high-tech in 1989.

Don Brown
December 4, 2009