Part 4/9:
As the aircraft took off, the captain promptly turned the plane towards the erroneously set course of 270 degrees, veering west instead of north towards their actual destination. Although the sun set against the backdrop of thickening smoke from burning rainforest, both pilots pressed on, focused more on routine checks than any noticeable mistakes in their course.
Their first misstep was missing the proper planning stage, failing to tune the navigational aids, and not considering their visibility against the evening’s descent. This oversight rolled into more issues, including confusion over radio communications, as they strived to contact air traffic control in Belém.