[1] REAL Transportes Aéreos Flight 435 departed at 17:22 on June 24, 1960, from Aeroporto da Pampulha in Belo Horizonte bound for Aeroporto Santos Dumont in Rio de Janeiro, carrying 5 crew members and 49 passengers, piloted by Captain João Afonso Fabrício Belloc.

[2][5] After news of the crash emerged, some witnesses came forward, including Cabo Ramos, responsible for maintaining the NDB at Ilha dos Ferros.

According to the military man's account, he heard the sound of a low-flying aircraft (identifying the characteristic noise of the Convair) over the island and ran to the window of his quarters.

The CPI was chaired by Congressman Miguel Antônio Bahury [pt], whose wife, Maria, had died in the crash of REAL Flight 435.

Ironically, Congressman Bahury also died[6] about 3 years later in the crash of Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Flight 144, operated by another Convair 340, near the São Paulo–Congonhas Airport.