What happened
On January 20, 2017, a Piper PA-31, registration PT-JJT, departed from Ajarani Aerodrome (SJYF) in Caracaraí, Roraima, bound for Ingazeira Aerodrome (SSHT) in Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso. The flight was intended for cargo transport with a pilot and one passenger on board.
During the flight, the aircraft was intercepted and shadowed by air defense forces. Following the failure to comply with instructions from the intercepting aircraft, the pilot initiated a descent, resulting in a forced landing in a jungle area near Novo Progress, Parę, at 16:24 UTC. Upon arrival at the site, the Federal Police discovered illegal substances inside the aircraft. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and although the flight plan listed two occupants, no individuals were found at the crash site.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation established that the pilot held valid multi-engine and instrument ratings, as well as a valid medical certificate. The aircraft's airworthiness certificate was also valid at the time of the occurrence. However, maintenance records for the airframe, engines, and propellers were not presented for review.
Due to the discovery of intentional illegal acts related to the cause of the event, CENIPA elected to interrupt the investigation. Under Brazilian law, investigations are terminated when a deliberate unlawful act is identified as the cause of the accident, as such events fall outside the scope of aeronautical accident prevention.