Part 5/9:
The pilots' navigation instruments misled them due to an unfortunate mix of radio signals. Instead of receiving a signal from the intended commercial radio station in Belém, they picked up a station hundreds of kilometers to the south, complicating their navigation further.
Realizing the gravity of their situation shortly thereafter, the pilots discovered their straight error in flight planning. They had been flying west instead of north—a mistake magnified by their failure to notice the setting sun in front of them. After they climbed to 8,500 feet, hoping that a higher altitude might help them identify their real location, it became clear that they were running dangerously low on fuel.