What happened
On June 18, 2013, a Piper PA-34-200, registration PT-ISH, was performing a passenger transport flight from Flores to Borba when the flight destination was changed to Lábrea at the request of a passenger. While approaching Canutama, Amazonas, the pilot noticed engine fluctuations and decided to divert to the local airfield.
Upon landing on the asphalt runway at Canutama—an uncertified and unregistered strip—the aircraft's landing gear retracted during the landing roll. This caused the aircraft to veer off the right side of the runway. The impact resulted in damage to the lower fuselage and a small dent on the tip of the right propeller. All seven occupants (one crew member and six passengers) escaped the incident without injury.
The investigation
The investigation by SERIPA VII faced significant obstacles because the pilot and aircraft owner failed to notify the authorities of the accident and removed the aircraft from the site without authorization. This prevented investigators from performing essential physical examinations or tests on the landing gear to determine the exact cause of the retraction.
Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the aircraft's maintenance records were severely deficient. The Annual Maintenance Inspection (IAM) had expired at the time of the accident, and the logbooks for the airframe and right engine had not been updated since 2009. Additionally, documentation for the left engine and propellers was not provided. Evidence also emerged of a signed declaration by the owner authorizing a maintenance shop to release the aircraft despite outstanding Airworthiness Directives and unresolved issues, such as a fuel tank leak.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was the retraction of the right main landing gear during the landing roll.
- The aircraft was being operated for commercial passenger transport (TPP) without proper authorization.
- The aircraft was in an unairworthy condition due to an expired Annual Maintenance Inspection and outdated logbooks.
- The landing was performed on an uncertified, unregistered runway.
- The investigation was hindered by the unauthorized removal of the aircraft from the scene and the failure to report the occurrence to the investigating authority.