What happened
On May 7, 2023, at approximately 12:10 UTC, a Tecnam P9-S Echo, registration PU-JPA, was performing a local flight departing from João Monteiro Aerodrome (SIVU) in Vila Velha, Espírito Santo. The pilot, who was flying the aircraft for private purposes, reported that the engine suddenly failed during the takeoff roll.
Following the loss of power, the pilot executed a right-hand turn to return to the runway. During the subsequent landing attempt, the aircraft experienced a hard touchdown. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot was uninjured in the occurrence.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators established that the pilot held valid medical and flight certifications, including a single-engine land rating, and possessed significant experience with this specific aircraft model. Meteorological conditions at the time were favorable for visual flight rules (VFR).
The investigation focused on the engine failure and the subsequent landing maneuver. The pilot noted a fuel leak from one of the engine's fuel hoses following the accident, which likely caused the engine to flame out. However, because the aircraft was removed from the scene without the authorization of the SIPAER investigation authority, investigators were unable to collect critical physical evidence.
Furthermore, as the aircraft was an amateur-built construction, the investigation could not definitively assess the adequacy of the maintenance procedures applied to the fuel system or the specific maintenance intervals used for the fuel hoses.