What happened
On September 11, 2004, an EMB-810C, registration PT-EBF, was performing a ferry flight from Boa Vista (SBBV) to Eduardo Gomes (SBEG) under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The flight was authorized via a Special National Flight Authorization (AEVN) because the aircraft's airworthiness certificate had expired, and it was being moved for annual maintenance.
While en route, the aircraft encountered a large formation of cumulonimbus clouds. Witnesses on the ground near the community of Castanhal reported seeing aircraft components breaking away from within the dark cloud formation. The aircraft suffered severe structural damage, including the separation of the horizontal stabilizer, parts of the wings, and the vertical stabilizer. The wreckage was scattered across a 600-meter area in dense vegetation. The pilot and the passenger both sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and determined that the aircraft suffered structural overloads. The horizontal stabilizer was found approximately 600 meters from the fuselage, showing signs of deformation and wrinkling. The sequence of debris suggested that the horizontal stabilizer was the first component to fail due to extreme structural loads, followed by the separation of the left wing and the right wingtip.
Investigators noted that the aircraft was not equipped with weather radar, which would have allowed the pilot to identify and avoid the convective activity. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's maintenance status, noting that while it had a recent inspection for the ferry flight, several essential documents, including the logbooks and airworthiness certificates, were missing or expired at the time of the accident.