What happened
On January 22, 2022, a Mooney M20M, registration PR-WZW, was conducting a private local flight over a farm near Boca do Acre, Amazonas. The aircraft, carrying a pilot and three passengers, was operating at the Fazenda Bom Retiro (SD6Y) airfield, a private grass strip.
During the landing phase on runway 20, the pilot executed an unstabilized approach characterized by an excessive descent rate and airspeed exceeding manual specifications. The aircraft touched down beyond the first third of the runway, leaving insufficient distance to come to a complete stop. Realizing the aircraft would overshoot the runway and strike a perimeter fence, the pilot attempted a late go-around. During this maneuver, the right main landing gear collided with a fence post. Following the impact, the pilot performed an emergency landing a few meters ahead of the obstacle. All four occupants escaped the incident without injury, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the flight conditions, aircraft maintenance records, and the pilot's credentials. The investigation confirmed that the pilot held valid commercial and single-engine land ratings, as well as a valid medical certificate. The aircraft's airworthiness certificate was valid, and the aircraft was within weight and balance limits. However, investigators noted that the aircraft's airframe, engine, and propeller logbooks had not been updated since September 2014.
Additionally, the investigation noted that the aircraft had been moved from the accident site prior to the arrival of the investigation authority, which is contrary to standard procedures regarding the preservation of evidence.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an unstabilized approach involving excessive speed and a high descent rate.
- Poor pilot judgment led to the decision to continue the approach despite the unstable parameters.
- A failure in the decision-making process resulted in a late go-around attempt that was unable to clear the obstacle.
- The aircraft's landing gear struck a fence post due to the insufficient runway remaining after the late touchdown.