Investigation Summary
TAM Flight 283 was operating the final leg of a multi-stop route from Vitória to São Paulo via São José dos Campos. Approximately 18 minutes after departing São José dos Campos, while the aircraft was climbing through Flight Level 080 (8,000 feet), a bomb exploded in the passenger cabin. The blast was centered under seat 18D, creating a hole approximately 2 meters by 2 meters in the fuselage. The passenger in seat 18E, Fernando Moura, was immediately sucked out of the aircraft through the breach. His body was later recovered by a farmer in a field near the Tijuco Preto neighborhood in Suzano. The flight crew initially suspected a cargo door failure due to the sudden decompression but maintained control of the aircraft. They declared an emergency and landed at Congonhas Airport at 09:05 local time. Forensic investigators found chemical residues and gunpowder traces around the fuselage breach, confirming the use of an explosive device. The Federal Police identified Leonardo Teodoro de Castro as the prime suspect, alleging he planted the device to commit suicide or as an act of domestic terrorism. However, de Castro was struck by a bus three days after being named a suspect, resulting in severe brain damage that rendered him legally unfit for trial.
Final Conclusions
The investigation by the Federal Police of Brazil and the Public Prosecutor's Office concluded that the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device. In 2021, a federal judge formally declared that the primary suspect could not be punished due to his health condition. Additionally, a federal court held the Brazilian government and the state-owned airport operator Infraero liable for the attack, citing a failure to properly screen passengers and baggage, which allowed the explosive device to be brought into the cabin.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Fuselage Structure
The Fokker 100 fuselage suffered a significant breach. The explosion ripped a hole approximately 2x2 meters in the pressurized skin. Official reports also noted a depth of 30 centimeters, which likely refers to the extent of the deformation or the depth of the structural frame damage around the primary breach.
Airport Security Screening
The failure of ground security protocols at the departure airports allowed an improvised explosive device to be smuggled into the passenger cabin.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft involved, PT-WHK, was repaired after the bombing and remained in service until at least 2015.
- 02The explosion occurred at an altitude of approximately 2,400 meters (7,900 feet).
- 03Six other individuals, including five passengers and one flight attendant, suffered minor injuries.
- 04The victim, 38-year-old Fernando Moura (also identified as Fernando Caldeira de Moura), was ejected from seat 18E.
- 05The Brazilian government was found civilly responsible for failing to prevent the bomb from entering the aircraft cabin.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Security Liability Ruling
A 2021 court ruling established that airport operators and the federal government are financially liable for damages resulting from failures in passenger and baggage screening.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Suspect's Fitness for Trial
Reference ↗The primary suspect, Leonardo Teodoro de Castro, was never brought to trial because he was struck by a bus three days after being identified, resulting in severe brain damage. This led to decades of legal limbo and periodic mental acuity tests until a judge finally ruled in 2021 that he could not be punished.
State Liability for Security Failure
Reference ↗A significant legal dispute centered on whether the airline or the state was responsible for the security breach. In 2021, a federal court ruled that the Brazilian government and Infraero were civilly liable for failing to detect the explosive device during passenger and baggage screening.
Location
ACCIDENT SITE · Coordinates taken from the entered by an editor.