What happened
On July 5, 2014, a Beechcraft A36, registration PT-OAI, was performing a repositioning flight from Presidente Prudente (SBDN) when it encountered severe meteorological conditions during its landing attempt. While executing a second attempt on short final, the aircraft was struck by a sudden gust of wind. The pilot reported being surprised by a strong downdraft immediately after crossing the runway threshold.
This sudden change in wind velocity caused a violent touchdown. Following the impact, the aircraft veered sharply to the left, coming to a stop at a 90-degree angle relative to the runway centerline. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the nose gear, the right main landing gear, the right wing, the right horizontal stabilizer, the propellers, and the engine. The pilot, who was also the aircraft owner, escaped the occurrence uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the flight history and meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. Witnesses present during the landing confirmed that weather conditions changed abruptly moments before the aircraft touched the ground. The investigation established that the pilot had been previously alerted by local radio services regarding the possibility of windshear in the region.
Technical inspections confirmed that the pilot held valid medical and technical certifications, and the aircraft was airworthy with all maintenance logs up to date. The aircraft was also within its proper weight and balance limits at the time of the event.