What happened
On August 27, 2022, at approximately 20:20 UTC, a Mistral 582C ultralight aircraft, registration PU-DJS, was performing a private local flight at the Aeródromo Doutor Mauro de Souza Castro in Campo Largo, Paraná. The pilot intended to complete a single traffic pattern before returning to land. During the final approach to runway 32, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of control. An observer noted that after aligning with the final approach path, the aircraft performed a sharp movement characterized by a rapid drop of the right wing, leading to a descending trajectory and impact with the ground. The accident resulted in one fatality and substantial damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the flight history, the pilot's credentials, and the aircraft's maintenance status. While the pilot held a valid Aerodesportivo Pilot Certificate (CPA) and a valid medical certificate, investigators could not verify if the pilot met the specific requirements for recent flight experience (minimum of three takeoffs and landings within the preceding 90 days) because the pilot's flight logs and individual flight booklet were not provided.
Regarding the aircraft, although the Certificate of Airworthiness (CVA) was valid, the investigation could not confirm if the aircraft was within weight and balance limits, as the weight and balance records were unavailable. Maintenance and inspection logs were also not presented to the commission. Meteorological reports from nearby aerodromes indicated favorable flying conditions with no significant weather obstructions at the time of the occurrence.
Findings
Analysis of surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts indicated that the aircraft lost lift during or immediately after a turn. Because executing a turn increases the minimum airspeed required to maintain flight, the investigation concluded that the aircraft entered a stall at low altitude, making recovery impossible. The primary contributing factors were improper use of flight controls, errors in pilot judgment, and the pilot's limited experience with both general flight and this specific aircraft model, which had been acquired only one month prior to the accident.