What happened
On March 15, 2021, an Embraer EMB-810C, registration PT-ELG, departed from Aeródromo Ilha do Caracará in Poconé, Mato Grosso, bound for Cuiabá. The aircraft was operating a private flight carrying one pilot and five passengers. Approximately ten minutes into the flight, the pilot reported a sudden loss of power in the left engine.
In response to the emergency, the pilot opted to land at an unregistered airstrip near Pousada Piquiri. During the landing sequence, the pilot did not execute the engine shutdown and feather procedure prescribed in the aircraft's operating manual. As the aircraft touched down, it drifted to the left and collided with a fence, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. All six occupants escaped the incident without injury.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the engines and fuel systems of both powerplants. While the right engine was found to be clean and intact, the left engine showed significant signs of internal degradation. The investigation revealed heavy oxidation on the fuel distributor diaphragm and stem, as well as oxidation on the fuel injectors for cylinders 3 and 4. Furthermore, the mechanical fuel pump of the left engine was found to be partially seized due to an accumulation of white particles, likely aluminum oxides, and reddish oxidation within the internal chambers.
Prior to the flight, the pilot had noted a considerable amount of water during the pre-flight fuel drain test. The aircraft had been parked outdoors and exposed to heavy rainfall in the days preceding the accident.
Findings
- The loss of power in the left engine was caused by internal degradation of the fuel system resulting from fuel contamination.
- The contamination likely occurred because a failure in the fuel filler cap seal or improper closure allowed rainwater to enter the left wing tank during recent heavy rains.
- The pilot's decision not to execute the engine shutdown and feathering procedure as prescribed in the manual created asymmetric thrust and increased drag, which compromised directional control and aircraft performance during the approach and landing.
- Contributing factors included the pilot's decision-making process, judgment, and flight attitude during the emergency.