What happened
On June 27, 2018, a Cirrus SR22, registration PP-ARX, was performing a flight from the Bom Futuro Aerodrome (SIAQ) to Lucas do Rio Verde (SILC) in Mato Grosso, Brazil. This was the second leg of the day; the aircraft had previously flown a four-hour segment from Santa Terezinha de Itaipu (SWIT) at 13,500 feet.
During the initial climb following the departure from SIAQ, the pilot began experiencing mild physical discomfort. As the flight progressed, the pilot's physiological condition deteriorated significantly, characterized by blurred vision, tremors, headaches, sweating, and a sensation of low blood pressure. Due to this medical distress, the pilot executed an emergency landing on a deactivated agricultural landing strip at Fazenda Quatrilho, near Sorriso. During the landing maneuver, the aircraft's right wingtip struck a cornfield, causing the aircraft to veer off the strip. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, but the pilot remained uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the pilot's flight history and the aircraft's technical status. The pilot was qualified with a valid medical certificate and approximately 340 total flight hours. The aircraft was airworthy, within weight and balance limits, and all maintenance logs were up to date.
The investigation focused on the pilot's physiological symptoms and the flight profile. Because the aircraft was not equipped with a supplemental oxygen system, investigators analyzed the possibility of hypoxia. The flight had maintained an altitude of 13,500 feet, a level where the body begins to experience more evident effects of oxygen deficiency. The investigation noted that the pilot had been flying for over four hours at high altitude during the first leg of the day, which may have contributed to the onset of symptoms.