What happened
On May 13, 2021, a Cessna 310-Q, registration PT-IIM, was performing a private passenger flight from Uberlândia, MG, to Ribeirão Preto, SP. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and four passengers.
As the aircraft was on the final approach leg for runway 17 at Aeródromo Usina Santa Lydia (SDUL), the left engine lost power, followed shortly by the right engine. Faced with a total loss of power, the pilot performed an emergency landing in a nearby sugarcane plantation. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the propeller blades and the wing area, but all five occupants escaped the crash without injury.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators established that the pilot was properly licensed and rated for multi-engine instrument flight, and the aircraft held a valid airworthiness certificate. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were favorable for flight.
However, the investigation faced significant obstacles due to the improper handling of the wreckage. The aircraft was removed from the crash site and moved to a hangar without the knowledge or authorization of the investigation authority. Furthermore, the accident was not reported to the authorities until five days after the occurrence, which violated Brazilian aeronautical regulations regarding the preservation of evidence.
During the examination of the aircraft's configuration, it was noted that the fuel selector was set to the auxiliary tanks, which were empty, even though fuel was available in the main tanks. Due to the unauthorized removal of the aircraft and the lack of available data, investigators were unable to verify the aircraft's weight and balance, the accuracy of maintenance logs, or the specific details of the flight planning and fuel requirements.