What happened
On January 10, 2018, a Cessna A188B operated by Camponesa Aviação Agrícola LTDA. was performing an agricultural application of urea in a rice field near São Lourenço do Sul, Brazil. The aircraft, registration PT-WNU, took off from an agricultural strip located at Fazenda Santa Rosa.
After traveling approximately 600 meters down the runway, the pilot realized the aircraft was not developing the necessary lift to rotate. The pilot attempted to abort the takeoff; however, the remaining runway length was insufficient to stop the aircraft. The plane overran the end of the strip, struck a fence, and came to a complete stop upside down in a nearby pond. The pilot successfully evacuated the aircraft before it became fully submerged. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the pilot sustained minor injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators confirmed that the pilot held valid medical and agricultural flight certifications and was experienced in this type of operation. The aircraft was within its weight and balance limits, and the engine showed no signs of power loss or malfunction during the event. While the aircraft's airworthiness certificate was valid, investigators found that the maintenance logs for the airframe, engine, and propeller were outdated and contained discrepancies regarding total flight hours compared to the aircraft logbook. Additionally, the records contained several erasures and lacked proper technical signatures.
Investigators analyzed the takeoff performance and determined that the 780-meter runway was sufficient for the aircraft's weight and configuration. Because engine failure was ruled out, the investigation focused on meteorological factors. It was hypothesized that a sudden shift in wind direction, specifically a tailwind component, may have occurred during the takeoff roll, increasing the required takeoff distance beyond the pilot's established operational reference.
Findings
- Adverse meteorological conditions: A sudden change in wind direction, potentially creating a tailwind, likely prevented the aircraft from achieving rotation within the available distance.
- Pilot judgment: The pilot's assessment of the takeoff conditions during the wind shift contributed to the overrun.