What happened
On September 22, 2021, at approximately 20:50 UTC, a Cessna 152, registration PR-UDI, was performing a local flight training mission at Aeródromo Quatro Ventos (SJPT) in Uberlândia, Brazil. The flight, operated by Aeroclube de Uberlândia, was being conducted by an instructor and a student pilot.
Originally, the flight was planned as a navigation mission from Uberlândia (SBUL) to Tupaciguara (SJIL). However, due to a late departure and the approaching sunset, the crew decided to divert to the private airfield SJPT to perform touch-and-go training. During the second approach to runway 29, the aircraft drifted to the right of the centerline. Upon touchdown, the aircraft lost control, traveled approximately 70 meters, and capsized. Both occupants sustained minor injuries, but the aircraft suffered substantial damage.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the operational conditions at the private airfield and found that while the runway was officially listed as 1,100 meters long, the usable width for safe operations was only about 10 meters due to highly irregular and sandy terrain.
The investigation also revealed that the use of SJPT for flight training had been verbally prohibited by the flight school (CIAC) due to these runway conditions. However, the instructor was unaware of this prohibition, as there were no formal written records of the restriction in recent meeting minutes, and the instructor's limited attendance at meetings due to work and distance commitments contributed to this communication gap.
Furthermore, the crew used wind information from a nearby airport (SBUL) to select the approach runway. This resulted in an estimated crosswind component of 13 knots, which exceeded the Cessna 152's maximum crosswind limit of 12 knots. Additionally, although the pilots reported intending to use 10 to 30 degrees of flaps, investigators found the flaps were in the retracted position at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft drifted off the runway centerline, likely due to the effects of a crosswind component exceeding manufacturer limits.
- The use of an unsuitable, irregular, and narrow runway surface increased the risk of loss of control.
- Inadequate flight planning and decision-making led to the use of wind data from a different location, ignoring local variations.
- A lack of formal communication and inadequate management supervision regarding the prohibition of using the SJPT airfield contributed to the event.
- The instructor's lack of proactive oversight during the student's maneuvers may have led to the failure to verify proper flap configuration.