What happened
On June 8, 2013, a Neiva EMB 711C, registration PT-NIK, operated by Heiss Táxi Aéreo Ltda, departed from Brigadeiro Protás-io de Oliveira Aerodrome (SBJC) in Pará, Brazil. Although the flight plan was filed for visual flight rules (VFR) operations to Chaves (SISO), the pilot diverted to the municipality of Anajás.
In Anajás, the pilot utilized a public concrete street located in the city center as a runway for landing and takeoff. This strip of road, approximately 570 meters long and 17 meters wide, was surrounded by residential buildings. Following a takeoff from this uncertified location with two passengers and 15 kg of baggage on board, the aircraft encountered a strong wind gust. The pilot was unable to maintain control, leading to an emergency landing in a nearby open field. During the initial investigation, it was noted that the engine was not producing power at the time of the emergency landing. The pilot reported that he had shut down the engine and retracted the landing gear prior to the impact.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation established that the landing site in Anajás lacked the minimum infrastructure required for safe aerial operations. The investigation also found that the flight deviated significantly from the filed flight plan and operated on an uncertified, non-homologated runway. Furthermore, the operation violated Brazilian Civil Aviation Regulations (RBAC 135), as the pilot proceeded to a location that did not offer a reasonable probability of safe operation. While the aircraft's maintenance records were found to be adequate, the investigation highlighted serious regulatory non-compliance regarding the use of unauthorized landing strips.
Findings
- Flight indiscipline regarding the use of an uncertified urban street as a runway;
- Lack of managerial supervision over flight operations;
- Use of a non-homologated landing strip that did not meet minimum safety requirements;
- Deviation from the filed flight plan to an unauthorized destination.