What happened
On January 3, 2014, an Embraer EMB-202A (registration PT-UYV) was performing agricultural spraying operations near Uberaba, Minas Gerais. The flight departed from Fazenda Mandaguari, bound for Fazenda Van Ass.
During the landing roll at the destination, the aircraft encountered a strong left crosswind, which caused the plane to drift toward the left side of the runway. The left wing made contact with a nearby cornfield. In an attempt to correct the deviation, the pilot applied excessive right rudder. This maneuver caused the aircraft to swing 180 degrees to the right, resulting in the rear fuselage striking the cornfield. The aircraft came to a stop facing the opposite direction of the landing heading. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right elevator, the nose gear, and the tail cone. The pilot was uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation by SERIPA III faced challenges because the operator failed to report the accident immediately and removed the aircraft from the site without authorization. This delay prevented investigators from analyzing tracks on the runway and in the cornfield to reconstruct the exact trajectory.
Investigators noted that the landing strip at Fazenda Van Ass was only 14 meters wide, with cornfields immediately adjacent to the sides. Additionally, the strip lacked a windsock to assist pilots in determining wind direction and intensity. The investigation confirmed that the pilot held valid medical and technical certifications, and the aircraft was airworthy and within weight and balance limits.
Findings
- Pilot judgment and the application of flight controls were the primary contributing factors.
- The presence of a strong left crosswind during the landing phase created a tendency for the aircraft to drift.
- The pilot's excessive use of right rudder to correct the leftward drift caused the aircraft to pivot 180 degrees into the adjacent crops.