What happened
On June 16, 2023, a Cessna 150J, registration PT-AVJ, crashed near the Associação Tocantinense de Aviação Aerodrome (SWEJ) in Porto Nacional, Tocantim, Brazil. The aircraft, operated by a flight school, was engaged in a private instruction flight at the time of the occurrence. The flight's origin and intended destination were unknown, and the exact flight path could not be established.
Following the impact, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. While witnesses reported seeing two individuals—a man and a woman—leaving the site on foot with visible facial injuries, the true identity of the occupants could not be confirmed by investigators. The operator initially denied the occurrence and failed to report the accident to the relevant authorities.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators only became aware of the accident through an anonymous tip on the night of the crash. The investigation faced severe obstacles because the aircraft wreckage was hidden for four days. It was eventually located by police authorities on private property belonging to the operator.
Upon discovery, the PT-AVJ had already been partially dismantled and was missing its engine. The operator had removed the debris from the crash site without the required authorization from the SIPAER investigation authority, violating Brazilian aviation law. Furthermore, the operator did not comply with mandatory reporting regulations. Because the aircraft was dismantled and the engine removed before investigators could access the wreckage, technical analysis, testing, or physical examinations of the components were impossible.
Findings
- The aircraft's airworthiness certificate (CVA) was valid, and maintenance logs for the airframe, engine, and propeller were up to date.
- Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were above the minimum requirements for flight.
- The removal of wreckage by the operator and the failure to report the accident prevented the identification of the causal factors.
- It could not be determined if the aircraft was operating within its weight and balance limits.
- The investigation concluded that the contributing factors remain undetermined due to the loss of physical evidence.