What happened
On September 8, 2019, at approximately 17:45 UTC, a FOX IIB ultralight aircraft, registration PU-AFA, was conducting a local recreational flight near Ivinhema, Mato Grosso do Sul. The aircraft took off from an unregistered area with a pilot and two passengers on board. During the flight, the aircraft experienced an engine failure. Following the loss of power, the aircraft collided with a building near the takeoff site, which subsequently ignited a fire. The impact and ensuing fire resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and caused three fatalities.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the regulatory and operational status of the flight and the aircraft. The investigation established that the pilot held a Private Pilot Certificate (CPR), but several essential documents were invalid: the pilot's medical certificate had expired in January 2018, and their single-engine land (MNTE) and advanced ultralight (UATE) ratings had been expired since 2015 and 2018, respectively.
The aircraft, a homebuilt model under the Private Experimental (PET) category, lacked a Certificate of Airworthiness. Due to the intensity of the post-crash fire, investigators could not examine the wreckage to determine the aircraft's weight, balance, or mechanical condition. Furthermore, because the aircraft operated under regulations that do not require detailed maintenance logs for this category, there were no engine, propeller, or airframe logbooks available to verify its operational airworthiness.
Additionally, the investigation noted that while the aircraft was designed to carry only a pilot and one passenger, it was operating with three occupants. The investigation also could not confirm if the pilot held the required sport flyer registration required by Brazilian civil aviation regulations.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an engine failure during flight.
- The aircraft was operating with an unauthorized number of occupants, exceeding its design capacity.
- The pilot was operating with expired medical and flight ratings.
- The aircraft lacked a Certificate of Airworthiness and proper maintenance documentation.
- The pilot's use of flight controls during the critical engine failure phase could not be definitively determined, though improper control inputs may have contributed to the loss of control.