What happened
On April 22, 2013, an EMB-720D aircraft, registration PT-VPN, operated by Tucano Táxi-Aéreo Ltda., was performing a takeoff from a grass runway at the Maronal Indigenous Village in Atalaia do Norte, Amazonas. The flight had been chartered by the Indigenous Health Secretariat (SESAI) to transport medical personnel for an emergency medical mission.
As the aircraft accelerated down the 450-meter runway, the left wingtip struck a child who had moved from the vegetation to the side of the runway to watch the takeoff. The impact occurred as the aircraft reached approximately 60 knots. Following the collision, the pilot attempted to abort the takeoff, but the aircraft veered left, causing the right main landing gear to collapse. The aircraft came to a stop 68 meters beyond the point of impact. While the pilot and three passengers escaped without injury, the child died at the scene.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the operational conditions of the unrecorded airstrip and the safety protocols in place during the mission. The investigation established that the aircraft was within weight and balance limits and that the pilot was properly licensed and experienced.
Investigators examined the runway configuration, noting that the runway (heading 15/33) featured a leftward curve at the departure end (heading 33), which obstructed the pilot's line of sight to the entire length of the runway. The investigation also reviewed the responsibilities of both the operator and the chartering agency, SESAI, regarding risk assessment for operations in remote, uncertified landing sites.