What happened
On March 14, 2014, at approximately 20:30 UTC, an Embraer EMB-201A, registration PT-UDL, was conducting an agricultural spraying operation in the District of Nova Santa Rosa, Uruçui, Piauí. The aircraft had departed from an improvised airstrip to apply pesticides and was returning to the same location to land.
During the landing approach, the pilot executed a maneuver involving a steep right-hand bank. During this turn, the engine reportedly made a noise characteristic of a sudden shutdown. Following the engine failure, the aircraft entered a descending attitude and struck the ground in an uncontrolled manner. The impact occurred at a high angle of incidence, causing the engine to detach from the airframe. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the pilot sustained serious injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and interviewed witnesses to reconstruct the sequence of events. The investigation focused on the flight path and the aircraft's performance during the engine failure. While the pilot reported a sudden engine stoppage, physical evidence from the wreckage did not provide conclusive proof of a mechanical engine failure. However, the investigation analyzed the aircraft's attitude and the nature of the impact.
Findings
- The pilot was properly qualified with valid medical and technical certifications.
- The aircraft was airworthy and within weight and balance limits at the time of the accident.
- The pilot'made a critical error in flight control application and judgment by performing a high-bank maneuver during the approach.
- The high-bank maneuver placed the aircraft in a flight regime where loss of control became irreversible following the engine power loss.