TAM A320 crash at Congonhas, Brazil
 

Local news is reporting that a TAM aircraft has overrun the runway and crashed into a petrol station at Congonhas.
Infraero has confirmed that there are casualties, but no details on the flight number or origin.
ab

local news saying TAM flight 3054 from Porto Alegre with 170 people on board.
Several people still on elevators inside the building. Doesn´t look good at all.

Is this the same incident as reported in another thread or a separate one?

What type?

looks like another incident. 170 people on an ATR?

different thing. This is an A320 from TAM.

July 18 2007 at 12:46AM Sao Paulo - A passenger plane with 170 people on board crashed into a fuel tank and started a fire after skidding on a wet runway at Congonhas airport in Sao Paulo, local media reported on Tuesday.

The plane belonged to Brazil's Tam airline, and there were no reports so far of casualties from either firefighters or Infraero, the company managing the airport, said TV Globo.

Sky News reporting it's an A320 with at least 150 on board. Coverage on CNN and the pictures look grave to say the least. Hope it's not as bad as it looks.

Sbsp 172200z 35008kt 7000 -ra Bkn008 Ovc070 15/14 Q1018
Sbsp 172100z 34008kt 6000 -ra Bkn009 Ovc070 16/14 Q1018
Sbsp 172030z 32009kt 7000 -ra Bkn013 Ovc080 16/14 Q1018
Sbsp 172000z 31012kt 8000 -ra Bkn016 Ovc080 17/14 Q1018
Sbsp 171900z 34009kt 9999 -ra Bkn016 Bkn080 18/15 Q1017

Looks like the resurfaced but ungrooved runway has claimed its second victim in as many days.

I have been to that area several times, there is a gas station right next to the building that the plane hit. Not sure if it got impacted or not, but I´m guessing so.

I was on this exact flight two weeks ago.

correct fuel store nearby`
 

Main fusalage looks intact from live wire however flames seem to be all over from the rear ..Hope All got out safley

Two casualties recovered so far, one unfortunately fatal. Both thought to be from the buildings hit by the aircraft.

ab

Flying rabbit - any idea where this building is in relation to the runway?

There is much confusion on CNN at the moment as to whether is is on or off the airfield.

Doors, the buildings are off the airfield, over Avenida Washington Luis, which at that time of the day is packed with traffic. Distance about 150m from the end of the runway, which is 30m above the street.

ab

Oh sh*t - looks like an overrun then. From the various videos on Youtube it looks like a runway on a plateau not dissimilar from Funchal although at 5700ft a lot shorter. There are very steep drop-offs at either end. Totally unforgiving in a situation like this.

DtA, building is right accross the street from the runway, but not in a straight line. Plane would have to go to the left from the runway to hit that building.

There´s a lot of conflicting reports about casualties right now, 8 people already admitted in hospitals but no news if they´re passengers or were on the building or on the street.

Local news now saying fire is getting worse, spreading to other buildings, some in danger of collapsing.

Actually, the building is abeam the runway end (runway in use was 35), about 150mts, right across one of the main avenues of Sao Paulo.
I have been working for TAM the last 2 years, can say the company is OK (safety wise), but the airport is operating way above maximum capacity...runway has no grooving, slippery when wet, 1880mts LDA, 2450 ft airport elevation...
Another very sad day for Brasilian Aviation...

As per thread here Pantanal ATR 42 off runway at Congonhas and here B737-800 skids off the Runway Cochin India.

Three this week wont help the stats!

Managing the Threats and Errors during Approach and Landing. N.B. Slide 26
FSF ALAR Tool Kit, sect 8.1 onwards.
Safety aspects of aircraft performance on wet and contaminated runways
When a Runway is Not Long Enough to Land On
Quote From the ref. "In the unlikely event that you do run out of runway, let us hope that you do not run out of luck!"
Luck is not aided by failure to learn lessons from previous events.

I'm guessing it is the big "T" shaped building at the end of 17R (plane landing on 35L). See google earth.

I'd also guess that unable to stop the pilot attempted to turn the plane onto the taxiway at high speed and it skidded - there was a similar incident involving, I believe, an F100 a while back but on this occasion they managed to turn the aircraft and keep it within the confines of the field.

They must have been going at a fair speed to make it down the hill, across that road and into the building!

Informed speculation at this point though.