What happened
On September 30, 2017, a Piper PA-34-220T, registration PT-SNC, was performing a private flight from Porangatu to Palmeiras de Goiás, Brazil. The flight, carrying one pilot and three passengers, encountered deteriorating meteorological conditions, forcing the crew to descend through several flight levels to maintain visual flight rules (VFR).
Unable to reach the intended destination or the designated alternate, the pilot used a tablet to identify an available landing area in the municipality of São Luís de Montes Belos. The aircraft touched down on the unregistered strip, but during the landing roll, the pilot lost directional control. The aircraft veered to the left, struck vegetation, and crossed a roadside ditch, eventually coming to a stop approximately 400 meters from the initial touchdown point. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including broken landing gear and structural impacts, but the crew and passengers escaped without serious injury.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the flight's progression and the pilot's decision-making process. The investigation confirmed that the pilot was properly licensed and rated, and the aircraft was airworthy and within weight limits.
Investigators noted that the landing site was an unregistered field and that the pilot lacked reliable meteorological information for that specific location. While the pilot claimed the choice was driven by weather, investigators found evidence suggesting the landing site might have been pre-planned, as the location was the final destination for the passengers. The investigation also revealed a local culture among the operator's pilots of using electronic devices to identify and land at unapproved, unregistered strips.
Findings
- The pilot attempted to land on an unregistered and unapproved aerodrome.
- Inadequate pilot judgment regarding the risks of landing on an unfamiliar, unverified surface.
- Poor decision-making and flight planning related to the use of unapproved landing sites.
- Contributing factors included flight indiscipline and the presence of adverse weather conditions that made the unpaved, wet surface slippery and difficult to control.
Safety action
CENIPA issued a recommendation to the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) to disseminate the lessons learned from this investigation to alert Brazilian pilots and operators to the significant risks associated with operating at unregistered aerodromes in violation of civil aviation regulations.