What happened
On February 18, 2011, a Cessna 152, registration PP-ABX, was conducting a local scenic flight near Cuiabá, Mato Grosso. The flight originated from Aeródromo Estância Santa Rita (SJCY) with a pilot and one passenger on board. After takeoff, the pilot requested and received authorization from Cuiabá Approach to perform a touch-and-go maneuver at the Santo Antônio do Leverger Aerodrome (SWLV).
Following the initial touchdown, the pilot initiated a go-around. As the aircraft passed the far end of the runway (runway 36) at approximately 300 feet, the aircraft lost altitude and collided with the ground roughly 370 meters from the runway. The impact involved a collision with a small tree before the aircraft struck the ground vertically. The aircraft was destroyed, and both the pilot and the passenger sustained serious injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and the aircraft's technical history. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft's airworthiness certificate was valid and that the engine and fuel systems were in good working order. Fuel samples analyzed by the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) were found to be in full compliance with aviation gasoline specifications. Furthermore, technical tests on the Lycoming engine and ignition components revealed no mechanical discrepancies.
The investigation also considered eyewitness accounts, which suggested the aircraft may have performed a low-level pass over the runway at a very low altitude before attempting an abrupt climb. Because the aircraft was not equipped with flight data or cockpit voice recorders, investigators relied on the physical evidence of the impact and the pilot's account of the flight parameters.