What happened
On September 24, 2016, an EXTRA E A-2/30, registration PT-ZUN, was performing a series of aerobatic maneuvers during an aviation fair at the Aeródromo Sílvio Name Júnior in Maringá, Brazil. The flight began as a planned visual flight for an aerial display.
During the sequence, the aircraft performed a "square loop." Witnesses noted that during the recovery phase of this maneuver, the aircraft deviated from its intended path, following a parabolic trajectory that was initially descending. Following this, the pilot executed a half-roll (medio tonneaux). After this maneuver, the aircraft entered a steady descent that steepened to approximately 90 degrees just before impacting the ground. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, and the pilot sustained fatal injuries at the scene.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and the aircraft's maintenance history. The investigation confirmed that the engine was functioning normally and producing power at the moment of impact. Furthermore, an analysis of the flight controls showed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction in the control terminals.
The investigation also reviewed the pilot's medical history and the physical demands of the flight. While the pilot held a valid medical certificate, investigators noted a history of hypertension and migraines. The investigation focused on whether the physiological stresses of high G-loads during the aerobatic maneuvers could have impacted the pilot's ability to maintain control.
Findings
- The aircraft's mechanical systems, including the engine and control surfaces, were fully operational.
- The pilot's age and existing comorbidities, combined with the high G-loads inherent in aerobatic maneuvers, may have led to acute loss of consciousness or a sudden medical event.
- The high-G environment of the aerobatic sequence likely contributed to the pilot's inability to recover the aircraft's descending trajectory.