What happened
On January 10, 2018, a Cessna A188B agricultural aircraft, registration PT-WKV, was performing local crop dusting operations at Aeródromo Safra in Dom Pedrito, Rio Grande do Sul. During the application of its final load, the pilot attempted to maneuver around a bird, which resulted in the landing gear making contact with the ground. Because the aircraft still contained approximately 300 liters of agricultural product and remained maneuverable, the pilot elected to continue the flight.
Upon returning to the airfield for landing, the landing gear collapsed. The aircraft slid approximately 50 meters along the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot escaped the occurrence uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators found significant irregularities regarding the handling of the occurrence. The operator failed to notify the regional investigation office (SERIPA V) of the accident, and the investigation only became aware of the event days later following repeated inquiries. Furthermore, the aircraft was removed from the scene without authorization from the investigation authority, preventing investigators from examining physical evidence related to the initial ground contact during the flight.
Technical analysis of bolts provided by the operator revealed that fractures had occurred due to overload. While the specific origin of these bolts could not be confirmed, the investigation identified a lack of effective control regarding the maintenance and use of landing gear components, including bolts, blades, and shames. Additionally, maintenance records for the aircraft were found to be inadequate, featuring discrepancies between logbooks and airframe/engine/propeller booklets, as well as numerous unauthenticated erasures.
Findings
- The pilot was properly licensed and medically certified for the operation.
- The aircraft was operating under a valid Special Flight Authorization (AEV).
- The landing gear failure was linked to overload fractures in components.
- There was a lack of effective maintenance control for critical landing gear parts.
- Maintenance documentation was incomplete, outdated, and lacked proper authorization signatures.
- The operator's safety management oversight was insufficient to ensure proper maintenance tracking and regulatory compliance.