Agricultural Aircraft Overruns Landing Area in Alto Piquiri, Brazil (PTGXB)

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 30 April 2022, a Neiva EMB-201A agricultural aircraft, registration PT-GXB, operated by C.Vale Cooperativa Agroindustrial, was involved in an accident at the Fazenda Paulistânia landing area in Alto Piquiri, Paraná, Brazil. The aircraft was on its first flight of the day, intended for agricultural spraying, with one pilot aboard. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft exceeded the longitudinal limits of the 800 m by 20 m grass landing area, collided with a cornfield approximately 2.5 m tall, and then struck the ground. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, while the pilot exited the aircraft uninjured. ## Investigation Findings and Contributing Factors The investigation determined that the pilot held a valid commercial pilot license, medical certificate, and agricultural pilot rating, with 875 total flight hours and 385 hours on the EMB-201A. The aircraft had a valid airworthiness certificate, was within weight and balance limits, and had undergone recent inspections. Engine and fuel examinations revealed no mechanical malfunctions. The primary contributing factor was inadequate flight planning. Interpolated performance data from the EMB-201A operations manual indicated that the required takeoff distance to reach 15 m (50 ft) was 879 m under the estimated conditions of 1,674 kg takeoff weight, 20°C temperature, and 1,377 ft field elevation. This exceeded the 800 m length of the landing area. Additionally, the accident occurred in low-light conditions before sunrise. The landing area lacked boundary markings or lighting and was surrounded by tall, uniform vegetation, which likely impaired the pilot's ability to perceive that the aircraft would not clear the longitudinal limit at a safe altitude and speed.