Jul 31 2007, 3:23 am - Topic by: BIGIKE

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   BEIJING, July 19 -- Up to 200 people are feared dead in Brazil after a passenger jet crashed into buildings while landing in Sao Paulo. It's believed all 176 people on board, and four on the ground, were killed in the fiery mishap. This is Brazil's second major air disaster in less than a year.

    Flames shot into the night sky after the Airbus-A320 owned by Brazil's TAM airlines skidded off the runway at Sao Paolo Congonhas airport.

    Witnesses say the plane crashed through a wall and hit a nearby fuel station after losing control on landing. They say the jet then exploded in between the gas station and a warehouse.

    Airport officials say over 170 people including passengers and crew members were on the flight from Porto Alegre in southern Brazil to Sao Paulo. Rescuers doubt anyone could have survived the crash.

    The tragedy happened during heavy rain. Critics have been warning for years that such an accident was possible. They say the runway is too short for large planes landing in rainy weather.

    In February, a federal court briefly banned some types of large jets from using the airport. But an appeals court overruled the ban, saying it was too harsh because of the severe economic ramifications.

    Tuesday's accident comes 10 months after Brazil's deadliest crash. In September, a domestic airliner collided with an small executive jet over the Amazon rainforest. All 154 people on the passenger jet lost their lives.