What happened
On February 15, 2014, at approximately 22:00 UTC, a Robinson R-44 helicopter, registration PT-YMF, crashed in a heavily forested area near Tracuateua, in the municipality of Bragança, Pará. The aircraft was performing a ferry flight, having departed from Paragominas (SNEB) with the intention of reaching Hotel Fazenda Vitória. The flight was part of a larger relocation of the aircraft from Joinville, SC, to Belém, PA.
While flying approximately 7 nautical miles from the destination, the helicopter struck trees before impacting the ground. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and caused two fatalities, involving the pilot and one passenger.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation revealed significant regulatory non-compliance regarding the pilot's credentials and flight planning. Although the pilot held a valid medical certificate and flight instructor rating, his specific helicopter rating for the R-44 had expired in May 2013. Furthermore, the pilot lacked the necessary instrument rating (IFRH) for flight in the prevailing conditions.
Investigators also discovered that the pilot had used another pilot's ANAC identification code to conduct the flight. The investigation noted that no flight plan had been filed for the mission, and the intended landing site at the farm was not a registered or certified landing area. Additionally, critical maintenance and weight-and-balance documentation, including the aircraft's weight and balance sheet and the cargo manifest, were unavailable at the scene.
Findings
- The flight was conducted at night under weather conditions unsuitable for visual flight rules (VFR), characterized by the presence of large Cumulonimbus cloud formations.
- The pilot was operating with an expired aircraft type rating and lacked instrument flight capabilities.
- The operation involved serious regulatory violations, including the use of another pilot's identification code and the absence of a filed flight plan.
- The aircraft's engine was inspected and found to be in functional condition, with internal components moving freely and residual lubrication present, suggesting no immediate mechanical failure of the engine components was the primary cause.