What happened
On March 12, 2012, a Beechcraft A-56TC, registration PT-KPG, was performing a short-duration maintenance flight from Campo Grande to Teruel Ipanuma Estância, Brazil. The flight lasted approximately five minutes and carried one pilot and two passengers.
The incident unfolded in two distinct stages. During the first approach, the aircraft experienced an unstable approach characterized by excessive speed and a high descent rate. The pilot made a heavy, asymmetric touchdown on the left side of the gravel runway. This impact caused significant lateral force, resulting in the pilot deciding to execute a go-around.
During the subsequent second approach, the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear, but the system failed to lock. As the aircraft touched down, both propellers struck the ground. The aircraft then slid approximately 300 meters along the runway before veering 95 meters into adjacent low vegetation. The pilot and both passengers were uninjured, but the aircraft sustained severe damage to the engines, propellers, landing gear, and fuselage.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the mechanical state of the aircraft and the operational procedures of the CGPA (Coordenadoria-Geral de Policiamento Aéreo). The investigation focused on the structural damage to the left-hand landing gear rod, which was found to be bent. This deformation was consistent with the high lateral stress experienced during the initial landing attempt.
Investigators determined that the bending of this rod likely caused the gear motor to overheat and the circuit breaker to trip during the go-around, preventing the gear from properly extending and locking for the second attempt. The investigation also reviewed the organizational structure of the operator, noting a lack of formalized training programs and flight monitoring systems.