The board of directors decided to re-locate its facilities near Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and for that land was flattened and a swamp drained.

In fact, around this time whereas Santos Dumont Airport served mainly hydroplanes, aircraft with landing gear used the Manguinhos facilities.

The VASP aircraft, originated at Brasília, and on approach to land at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão, crashed killing its 32 occupants and 10 persons on the ground.

According to the press, the pilot of the Fokker, the Air Force cadet Eduardo da Silva Pereira, with only 19 flight-hours, was trying to impress his girlfriend by doing manoeuvres over her house in the proximity of Manguinhos Airport and collided with the Viscount.

Hangars and the control tower were demolished and presently the shanty town Vila do João, part of Complexo da Maré, is located at the site of the closed airport.