What happened
On February 21, 2023, a Flyer RV-10, registration PR-ZPA, was discovered by third parties in flames in a rural area near the Arara community, in Novo Aripuanã, Amazonas. The aircraft had departed from an unknown location toward an unspecified destination. The impact and subsequent fire resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and the fatal injuries of the pilot.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators were unable to reconstruct the flight sequence due to a lack of flight plan information and the absence of a declared route. While the pilot held a valid medical certificate and a single-engine land rating, investigators could not confirm if the pilot was qualified for this specific flight, as the most recent flight log entry dated back to May 2022, and no recent experience could be verified.
Furthermore, the investigation faced significant evidentiary gaps. The aircraft's maintenance logs for the airframe, engine, and propeller were not provided, making it impossible to determine the airworthiness of the PR-ZPA. Because the aircraft was completely consumed by fire, investigators could not examine flight control positions, system switches, or collect fuel samples for analysis. Additionally, the aircraft's weight and balance status at the time of the accident could not be established.
Findings
- The pilot held a valid medical certificate and single-engine land rating.
- The aircraft was found destroyed by fire near Pousada Sucunduri.
- The contributing factors to the accident remain undetermined due to the lack of available flight data, maintenance records, and the total destruction of the wreckage.