What happened
On July 2, 2019, at approximately 16:00 UTC, a Neiva EMB-202 aircraft, registration PT-URD, was performing an agricultural application flight in Santa Rita do Pardo, Mato Grosso do Sul. The aircraft was operating from a landing area at Fazenda Carandá, intended for the application of fertilizer.
During the takeoff roll, the left main landing gear wheel failed and locked. This sudden malfunction caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft, leading to a collision with vegetation at the edge of the landing area. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, but the pilot emerged from the incident uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance records and the failed component. The aircraft was within its maximum takeoff weight limits, with a total weight of approximately 1,710 kg against a maximum of 1,800 kg. The pilot held valid medical and aeronautical certifications, and the aircraft's airworthiness certificate was up to date.
The left landing gear wheel was sent to the Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE) for forensic analysis. Visual and stereoscopic examinations revealed that the wheel hub had suffered a fracture due to overload. Investigators also noted wear and impact marks on the brake element, though they could not definitively determine if the brake element had detached and caused the hub failure.
Findings
- The left main landing gear wheel broke during the takeoff roll.
- The wheel hub failure was caused by an overload condition.
- The aircraft was operating within approved weight and balance limits.
- Maintenance records and aircraft logs were properly updated.
- It remains undetermined if the brake element's condition contributed to the hub fracture.
- The investigation could not rule out previous unrecorded operational anomalies that might have necessitated corrective maintenance as outlined in the manufacturer's service manual.