What happened
On November 5, 2021, at 18:15 UTC, a Beechcraft C90A, registration PT-ONJ, was performing a non-scheduled passenger flight from Goiânia to Caratinga Aerodrome (SNCT) in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The aircraft was operating under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) during the approach phase to runway 02.
As the aircraft was on final approach, it struck a lightning arrester cable belonging to a 69 kV power grid. The impact with the cable caused the left engine to be torn from its mountings and led to a total loss of control. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground with a high rate of sink and a significant lateral tilt. All five occupants—two crewmembers and three passengers—sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation established that the 69 kV power grid was located outside the aerodrome's protection zone and did not meet the regulatory requirements to be classified as a signaled obstacle. The lightning arrester cable itself had low visual contrast against the surrounding vegetation, making it difficult to detect.
Investigators found that the approach profile was flown at a significantly greater distance from the threshold than expected for a Category B aircraft, resulting in very low separation from the terrain. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's engines and airframe sustained substantial damage throughout their length due to the collision and subsequent impact.