What happened
On March 11, 2013, a Cessna 206, registration N209B, was conducting a ferry flight from the United States to Bolivia, transiting through Brazilian airspace. The aircraft had entered Brazilian territory the previous day via Boa Vista (SBBV) and was en route to Manaus (SBEG) on the night of the occurrence.
While entering the traffic pattern for Eduardo Gomes International Airport (SBEG), the pilot reported an engine failure to the control tower. Unable to reach the runway, the pilot performed an emergency landing on a public road located in the northern sector of the aerodrome. During the descent and landing, the aircraft's left wing struck a utility pole, and the plane subsequently collided with several other obstacles on the ground. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot escaped without injury, while the passenger sustained minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation by CENIPA faced significant limitations. The pilot departed from Brazil for the United States the day after the accident without providing information to the Brazilian investigative authority. Consequently, investigators were unable to verify the pilot's medical certification, technical ratings, or flight experience/qualifications.
Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the aircraft's annual maintenance inspection had expired the day before the accident, and the 100-hour inspection was also overdue. The flight was also conducted at night in an aircraft that was not certified for instrument flight rules (IFR). Due to these regulatory violations, the investigation was ultimately interrupted, as the authorities determined that the primary issues involved non-compliance with established aviation regulations.