What happened
On October 23, 2010, an EMB 810C, registration PT-EGT, was conducting an aerial survey mission departing from Porto Seguro (SBPS), Bahia. While cruising at flight level 160, the aircraft began its descent. Approximately three minutes after initiating the descent, while crossing flight level 070, the left engine experienced a loss of power. Five minutes later, the right engine also failed.
Unable to reach a suitable airfield, the pilot performed an emergency forced landing in a pasture area approximately 12 nautical miles from the city of Prado. The two occupants of the aircraft emerged from the landing without injuries, though the aircraft sustained light damage, including broken antennas and damage to a propeller blade.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and fuel systems, discovering that the fuel distribution manifolds for both engines were dry. While the fuel gauges indicated empty tanks, investigators found approximately 15 liters of residual fuel during the disassembly of the wings.
The investigation also reviewed the pilot's flight history and the operator's organizational practices. It was noted that the pilot had flown for over four hours on the day of the accident, following a four-and-a-half-hour flight the previous day. The investigation also looked into the company's operational culture and the pilot's training and flight planning processes.
Findings
- Fuel exhaustion was the primary cause of the dual engine failure.
- The pilot failed to properly manage fuel consumption and did not adhere to the required fuel reserves for IFR operations as established by RBHA 91.
- Inadequate flight planning resulted in a mission profile that was incompatible with the required safety margins.
- The company's organizational culture prioritized production over safety, which discouraged conservative operational measures.
- The pilot's physical and mental performance may have been compromised by fatigue due to consecutive long workdays and the physiological stress of high-altitude flight requiring oxygen use.
- There was a lack of adequate managerial supervision regarding the use of external pilots and the monitoring of flight planning accuracy.