What happened
On July 1, 2008, a Cessna 208B, registration PT-MEE, was performing a mail transport flight between Belém, Altamira, and Itaituba, Brazil. While cruising at 8,000 feet during the second leg of the flight, the crew detected the smell of oil in the cabin, followed by a rapid drop in engine oil pressure. This led to a loss of propeller traction as the propeller moved to a feathered position.
In an attempt to manage the emergency, the crew sought a suitable landing site along the Transamazon Highway. During the emergency landing sequence, the aircraft struck several obstacles. The initial impact occurred when the right wing hit a utility pole beside the road. The aircraft continued to fly at a very low altitude, approximately 3 meters above the ground, for over 445 meters across a steep slope. A second impact occurred when the left wing struck a tree, followed by the aircraft sliding 93 meters along the side of the highway until a bank caused the landing gear to shear off. The aircraft traveled a total of 758 meters from the first impact to its final position. Both the pilot and co-pilot were uninjured, but the aircraft sustained severe damage to the engine, fuselage, left wing, and control surfaces.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and found traces of lubricating oil on the lower engine cowling, cargo pod, left fuselage, tail cone, and the interior of the left stabilizer. The investigation revealed that there was no oil remaining in the reservoir or the oil filter. Upon inspecting the hardware, investigators found that the oil hose/nipple/locknut assembly near the radiator was loose.
Further examination of maintenance records showed that during the most recent 100-hour inspection, the radiator oil hose had been installed improperly. The investigation also noted that the crew spent an excessive amount of time attempting to establish radio communication with Air Traffic Control via another aircraft, which may have affected their decision-making regarding the landing site.