What happened
On May 1, 2015, an American Champion 8KCAB, registration PP-KDZ, was conducting a local flight instruction mission at the Tietê Aerodrome (SDET) in São Paulo, Brazil. The aircraft was occupied by an instructor and a student pilot.
During the landing phase, the aircraft touched down approximately 300 meters from the beginning of the unpaved runway. While attempting a go-around procedure, the crew decided to abort the maneuver when the aircraft reached a point 250 meters from the end of the runway, as they no longer felt the aircraft could safely complete the procedure. Consequently, the aircraft overran the longitudinal limit of the runway and came to a stop in a grassy area. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, though both occupants remained uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the mechanical condition of the Lycoming AEIO-3/60-H1B engine to determine if a power loss had triggered the aborted go-around. The inspection revealed no discrepancies or evidence of mechanical failure, confirming the engine was fully operational.
The investigation also evaluated the aerodrome infrastructure, noting that the unpaved runway lacked touchdown zone and threshold markings. This lack of visual cues may have contributed to the aircraft touching down too far down the runway, consuming more than one-third of the available distance. Investigators also reviewed the credentials of the crew, finding the instructor's licenses and medical certificates were valid, and the aircraft's airworthiness documentation was up to date.
Findings
- Inadequate application of flight controls during the landing and go-around sequence.
- Delayed pilot judgment regarding the decision to abort the maneuver, which occurred too late to prevent the runway excursion.
- The lack of runway markings at the aerodrome may have influenced the touchdown position.
Safety action
A safety recommendation was issued to the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) to work with the aircraft operator (Associação Brasileira de Acrobacia Aérea) to improve instructional techniques. The goal is to ensure instructors are more proactive and conservative, preventing student errors from reaching a point of irreversibility.