What happened
On February 26, 2018, at approximately 19:30 UTC, an EMB-202A aircraft, registration PT-VUZ, was performing an agricultural spraying operation in Entre-Ijuís, Rio Grande do Sul. The aircraft was operating from an unpaved landing strip used for agrochemical application, intended to spray fungicide over a soybean field.
During the takeoff roll, immediately after rotation, the aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude. As the aircraft lost lift, it drifted to the left, passing beneath an electrical power line. The landing gear made contact with the 50cm-tall soybean crop, which created significant aerodynamic drag. This drag caused the aircraft to return to the ground, resulting in a substantial impact with the field. The pilot on board escaped the accident uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators confirmed that the pilot was properly licensed and held a valid medical certificate, with sufficient experience for the mission. The aircraft was airworthy, with all maintenance logs up to date, and was operating within the manufacturer's specified weight and balance limits, with a takeoff weight of 1,669.75 kg.
Technical analysis focused on the dimensions of the takeoff area. The operational strip measured 370 meters in length. By applying the takeoff distance data for unpaved runways from the aircraft's flight manual, investigators determined that the required takeoff distance for the aircraft's configuration was approximately 902 meters. Consequently, the available runway length was significantly shorter than the minimum distance required by the manufacturer.
Findings
- The takeoff area lacked the minimum dimensions required by the manufacturer for safe operations.
- Inadequate flight planning by the pilot, who failed to account for the runway length requirements.
- Inadequate managerial supervision by the operator, which allowed the use of an insufficient takeoff area for the mission.