What happened
On April 26, 2016, at approximately 18:3 and UTC, a Neiva EMB-810D, registration PT-VLI, departed from Aeródromo Ipiranga in Alto Taquari, Mato Grosso, bound for Cuiabá. The flight was carrying a pilot and five passengers.
During the flight, the pilot was notified that Cuiabá airport was closed for visual operations due to deteriorating weather. The crew attempted to divert to Tangará da Serra, but encountered similar weather constraints near that airfield. Seeking an alternative, the pilot headed toward the Fazenda Bandeirantes airstrip. However, approximately 7km before reaching the destination, the engine failed. The pilot performed a forced landing in a plowed field in the municipality of Arenápolis. All six occupants survived the impact without injuries, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators determined that the engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion. Although the aircraft had departed with sufficient fuel for the original flight plan, the unplanned diversions necessitated by the weather increased the flight duration to 2 hours and 55 minutes, eventually depleting the tanks.
Post-accident inspections confirmed that no fuel remained in the aircraft's tanks. The investigation also revealed that a SPECI weather report issued at 15:00 UTC—prior to departure—had already indicated a low ceiling at the destination, which could have prompted a reassessment of the flight plan. The investigation noted that the pilot's successful flight the previous day might have led to a complacent attitude regarding weather monitoring.
Findings
- Adverse meteorological conditions necessitated unplanned flight path changes.
- Inadequate flight planning regarding fuel reserves for diversions.
- Flawed decision-making process regarding the departure without updated weather checks.
- The aircraft was within weight and balance limits, and all pilot certifications and aircraft airworthiness documents were valid.