What happened
On January 21, 2023, at approximately 11:00 UTC, an experimental Petrel AV12 amphibious aircraft, registration PU-ZZB, was conducting a private flight from Aeródromo Fazenda Irohy (SDIH) in Biritube-Mirim, São Paulo. The flight was intended to verify recent modifications made to the aircraft's engine and fuel system.
Shortly after takeoff, following the extension of the landing gear, the aircraft experienced an engine failure. Due to insufficient altitude to reach the runway, the pilot performed an emergency landing in a flooded area near the threshold of runway 13. While the aircraft sustained substantial damage, both the pilot and the passenger escaped the incident without injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the legality of the aircraft's modifications and the pilot's qualifications. The investigation revealed that although the aircraft held an Experimental Flight Authorization Certificate (CAVE), this certificate had been invalidated because several significant modifications—including changes to the fuel tank, the construction of a new fuel delivery system, and the installation of new fuel pumps—were performed by the owner without the required approval from an aeronautical engineer.
Investigators found that the aircraft lacked a valid Airworthiness Verification Certificate (CVA) and that essential maintenance records, including engine and airframe logbooks, were unavailable for review. Furthermore, the pilot was operating with an expired rating for amphibious fixed-wing aircraft, which had lapsed in November 2022. During on-site testing, investigators were unable to observe fuel flowing through the engine feed line when the electric pump was activated, supporting the hypothesis of a fuel starvation issue caused by the unapproved modifications.