The plane, a Boeing 707, registration PP-VJZ, made an emergency landing in onion fields about five kilometres (3.1 mi; 2.7 nmi) from Orly Airport, due to smoke in the cabin from a fire in a lavatory.

The aircraft was originally meant to be sold to Seaboard World Airlines, but was bought by Varig prior to this taking place.

Varig briefly leased it to Seaboard World Airlines, but otherwise owned and operated the aircraft for the entirety of its life.

Crew members moved to the front of the airplane toward the emergency exit, as many passengers in the rear of the plane inhaled smoke.

The aircraft landed in a field five kilometres (3.1 mi; 2.7 nmi) short of the runway, in a full-flap and gear-down configuration.

Of the crew, Captain Araújo da Silva, First Officer Basso, Flight Engineer Bello, Navigator Gomes da Cunha, Relief Captain Fuzimoto, Chief Purser Galleti and Attendants Pires de Oliveira and Piha were in the cockpit and evacuated from there, and Tersis and Brandão escaped out of the forward galley.