What happened
On February 18, 2016, an EMBRAER EMB-202A performing agricultural spraying operations crashed near Nova Ubiratã, Mato Grosso. The aircraft, registration PT-VXD, departed from a landing strip at Fazenda Futura under VFR conditions to perform pesticide application. After approximately 40 minutes of carousel-pattern spraying, the engine failed.
In response to the engine failure and the activation of the stall warning, the pilot lowered the aircraft's nose and jettisoned the chemical load from the hopper. Due to the low altitude, the aircraft struck the treetops and impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot survived the accident without injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance records, which showed that the airworthiness certificate and all component logs (cell, engine, and propeller) were up to date. A recent 50-hour inspection had been completed just two days prior to the accident.
Technical analysis of the Lycoming IO-540-A engine was conducted by the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA). While the engine disassembly did not reveal mechanical defects that could have caused a failure, evidence indicated that the engine was producing power at the moment of impact.
Crucially, laboratory tests performed on fuel samples taken from the aircraft's fuel lines and the storage reservoir revealed that the fuel was non-compliant. Specifically, the samples failed electrical conductivity tests, and one sample showed improper density and alcohol content. This suggested that the fuel storage and handling processes were inadequate.