Cascavel Airport in Brazil Sees Runway Excursion of LATAM Flight LA3858, an Airbus A320, on 31 August

Written By: Indranil Mukherjee

Indranil Mukherjee

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September 1, 2026 2:21 AM |

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On August 31, regional aviation operations were hampered by heavy rain. As a result, when bad weather strikes, Cascavel Airport in western Brazil experiences an abrupt disruption in operations. Following a brief holding pattern over the area, LATAM Flight LA3858 safely touched down. But while rolling out at a slow speed, an Airbus A320 aircraft slipped off the pavement. On the wet tarmac, the twin-engine aircraft with dozens of passengers lost tire traction. The aircraft consequently had a low-speed runway excursion into the nearby grass verge. Emergency personnel raced to the scene of the incident right away. Luckily, nobody was hurt when the crew and passengers deboarded. To ascertain the precise order of events, authorities are currently actively evaluating the A320’s condition.

What occurred during the landing of LATAM flight LA3858?

The routine domestic flight, departing from São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) bound for western Paraná, encountered severe atmospheric conditions upon arrival. The fourteen-year-old Airbus A320 aircraft—registered as PR-MYO—entered a brief holding pattern while the flight crew evaluated low visibility and surface water levels. Upon receiving clearance, the aircraft completed its final approach to Runway 15 at approximately 09:45 local time (12:45 UTC). The airliner touched down, deployed thrust reversers normally, and decelerated as expected; however, during the final slow-speed turnaround phase (at roughly 15 knots ground speed), the nose gear slipped on saturated terrain. Consequently, the aircraft drifted past the designated paved edge, coming to a stop on the soft grass verge adjacent to the runway threshold. Flight tracking data confirmed that while the initial rollout was stable, low-speed manoeuvrability became compromised on the slippery surface.

How were passengers and airport operations affected by the incident?

Despite the dramatic visual of an airliner immobilized off the pavement, emergency protocols functioned flawlessly! All 145 passengers and six crew members of the LATAM flight disembarked safely without a single reported injury a testament to disciplined cabin crew execution and robust airframe design. Local emergency response teams were immediately deployed to secure the perimeter and facilitate safe transport to the terminal. Nevertheless, operational disruptions were unavoidable: Cascavel Airport issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) temporarily closing the airfield to facilitate inspections. LATAM officially cancelled the return leg—Flight LA3859—and arranged ground transportation alongside rebookings through nearby hubs, such as Foz do Iguaçu. “Our primary commitment remains the absolute safety of our passengers and crew,” LATAM confirmed in an official statement; “full assistance is actively being extended to every affected customer.” Meanwhile, ground teams worked diligently to assess runway integrity.

Why are weather and runway conditions central to the investigation?

Adverse weather plays a decisive role in post-incident evaluations: heavy downpours had soaked the region throughout the morning. Video recordings captured prior to touchdown showed significant surface spray being displaced by aircraft tyres travelling along the tarmac—raising questions regarding aquaplaning risk and surface friction. Investigators from Brazil’s aeronautical accidents prevention authority are conducting a detailed inquiry into the operational context. They are scrutinising multiple environmental factors: water film depth, rubber build-up near turning points, and effective braking action reported by preceding flights. Furthermore, technical experts are auditing whether the airport’s physical infrastructure—including turn-pad geometry, runway slope, and drainage capacity—complied fully with international safety standards during intense precipitation. Did localised water accumulation impair directional control during the low-speed backtrack manoeuvre? This key question remains central to civil aviation analysts examining the event.

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What are the next steps for LATAM and aviation authorities?

The path to restoring normal operations requires meticulous technical clearance before PR-MYO can return to active service. Engineering crews must thoroughly inspect the landing gear, lower fuselage, and twin engines for hidden structural stress or debris ingestion caused by contact with unpaved terrain. Simultaneously, airfield technicians are conducting friction tests across the affected runway section to guarantee safe operational margins for future departures. LATAM is collaborating fully with regulatory bodies to analyse flight data recorder (FDR) logs and cockpit voice recordings; these critical datasets will pinpoint precise pilot inputs and mechanical feedback leading up to the excursion. Beyond Cascavel, aviation authorities intend to use these findings to standardize regional airport operating procedures during severe weather events—ensuring that sudden tropical rainstorms do not compromise runway safety standards across South America.