What happened
On February 5, 2022, an AT-402B aircraft, registration PR-JPY, was performing a ferry flight from an agricultural airstrip in Paraíso das Orquestra, Mato Grosso do Sul, to Tenoar Aerodrome (SDVR) in Chapadão do Sul.
As the aircraft approached the airfield, the pilot performed a low pass over the runway in the direction opposite to the intended landing path. Following this pass, the aircraft entered a steep climb with a pitch angle of approximately 50 degrees, reaching an altitude between 500 and 800 feet. The aircraft then rolled into an inverted position and began a rapid descent. The aircraft struck the ground in a nearly vertical, inverted attitude, resulting in one fatality and substantial damage to the airframe, engine, and propeller.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and flight data, noting that the engine was producing power at the time of impact, as evidenced by deformations in the propeller blades and high-temperature marks on the engine shaft. While the aircraft's maintenance logbooks were found to be out of date—with some utilization records not updated since 2017—investigators found no evidence of mechanical failure or system malfunctions that could have caused the loss of control.
The investigation focused on the flight dynamics, specifically whether the roll to an inverted position was an intentional aerobatic maneuver or an uncommanded aerodynamic response to a loss of lift. Investigators noted that the aircraft's flight manual expressly prohibits aerobatic maneuvers and that the aircraft's spin-recovery characteristics had not been fully tested.
Findings
- The pilot was highly experienced, with over 2,300 total flight hours and significant time in the AT-402B.
- The aircraft was within weight and balance limits and held a valid Certificate of Airworthiness.
- The aircraft's flight control systems were functional, and the engine was operating normally until impact.
- Improper use of flight controls placed the aircraft at a critical angle of attack, leading to a stall from which recovery was impossible.
- The pilot misjudged both the performance capabilities of the aircraft and his own ability to execute the maneuver.
- Factors such as overconfidence or a lack of situational awareness may have led to the decision to attempt a maneuver that exceeded the aircraft's operational limitations.