What happened
On March 27, 2021, an EMB-201 aircraft, registration PT-GPU, was performing a ferry flight from Uruaçu to Itaberaí, Goiás. After approximately two hours and ten minutes of flight, the aircraft struck the ground near highway BR-070, km 188. Following the initial impact, the aircraft slid 40 meters before coming to rest upside down on an embankment. The impact caused the fuel tanks to rupture, and the subsequent fire completely consumed the fuselage. The pilot sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators analyzed the wreckage and flight data obtained via a mobile tracking chip. The investigation focused on the aircraft's condition and the pilot's credentials. Investigators found that the propeller showed no signs of high rotation at the moment of impact, and deformations suggested the engine was not producing power. Evidence of fire marks on the left wing indicated that the fire likely began while the aircraft was still in flight, possibly originating near the lower engine area. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's medical and flight qualifications, as well as the aircraft's airworthiness documentation.
Findings
- The pilot was flying with an expired single-engine land (MNTE) rating, which had been invalid since August 2012.
- The pilot's medical certificate (CMA) had been expired since June 2017.
- The aircraft's Certificate of Airworthiness (CA) had been expired since November 1991.
- The operator, Cesar Aviação Agrícola Ltda., did not hold an Air Operator Certificate (COA) or the necessary authorization for such operations.
- An in-flight fire likely prompted the pilot to attempt an emergency landing, which resulted in the collision with the embankment.