What happened
On May 21, 2017, at approximately 21:00 UTC, a Piper PA-28-140, registration PT-CGM, was performing a local flight over a cornfield near the Serra Grande Farm Aerodrome in Parauapebas, Pará. The flight, which included two occupants, was intended to be a low-altitude overflight of the northern sector of the aerodrome.
During the return leg toward the aerodrome, the engine began to malfunction. The pilot attempted to switch fuel tanks to resolve the issue, but the engine eventually stopped functioning entirely. Approximately 4 NM from the aerodrome, the pilot attempted an emergency landing on a street within a residential area. During the descent, the aircraft struck electrical power lines and struck the ground, coming to rest on its back on the side of a road. Local residents moved the aircraft to extract the occupants, both of whom sustained serious injuries. There was no fire at the scene, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation revealed significant regulatory non-compliance. The pilot was operating without a valid pilot license or a valid medical certificate. Furthermore, the aircraft's airworthiness certificate had been suspended since July 2016, and its annual maintenance inspection was also overdue.
Investigators were unable to review essential maintenance records, as the aircraft's logbooks, engine, and propeller records were not presented. Additionally, the aircraft was moved to an unknown location by unauthorized individuals before investigators could arrive at the scene. The investigation also noted that the person identified as the aircraft owner could not be located and did not appear in the Brazilian Aeronautical Registry (RAB).