What happened
On August 5, 2002, a Piper PA-30, registration PT-IMM, departed from the 14 Bis aerodrome in Londrina, Paraná, bound for the Floresta Negra farm airstrip. The flight was intended to transport two passengers. Shortly after takeoff, once the landing gear had been retracted, the aircraft experienced a power loss in one of its engines.
Because there was insufficient runway remaining to abort the takeoff, the pilot attempted to continue the flight. The aircraft entered a critical state of controllability, following a right-hand curved trajectory. Approximately 2.5 kilometers from the departure runway, the aircraft lost lift and struck a plowed field at the Nossa Senhora Aparecida farm. The impact caused the left wing and the tail to strike the ground, resulting in severe damage to the airframe, engines, and propellers. The pilot and both passengers survived the accident without injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and the operational circumstances of the flight. Laboratory analysis of fuel samples from the tanks, fuel pump, and supply source showed no impurities that could have caused the engine failure. While the propellers were found in a position indicating low power at impact, the engine throttles, mixture, and propeller pitch controls were found in the most advanced positions, suggesting that no emergency checklists were completed.
Due to the subsequent removal of wreckage by the owner, a detailed technical analysis of the engines and fuel lines was not possible. However, the investigation focused on the pilot's response to the engine failure and the lack of identified cause for the power loss.