What happened
On September 30, 2015, an EMB-720D Embraer Neiva, registered as PT-VCA, was performing a scheduled air taxi flight from Novo Campo (SWNK) to Pauini (SWUI) in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. The aircraft was carrying one pilot and four passengers.
Approximately eight minutes before reaching the destination, the aircraft's engine began operating abnormally before suffering a complete failure. The pilot was forced to perform an emergency landing along the banks of the Purus River, roughly 20km away from the town of Pauini. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. While the pilot sustained minor injuries, all four passengers emerged uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by SERIPA VII revealed significant regulatory non-compliance regarding both the aircraft's airworthiness and the pilot's credentials. Investigators found that the aircraft was not in an airworthy condition, as its Annual Maintenance Inspection (IAM) had expired on June 16, 2015, and its Certificate of Airworthiness (CA) had been suspended since July 17, 2015. Furthermore, the maintenance logs for the airframe, engine, and propeller were found to be outdated.
Regarding the crew, the investigation established that the pilot did not hold a valid Commercial Pilot License (PCM), which is the minimum requirement for conducting commercial passenger operations. Additionally, the pilot had no formal employment contract or registered labor bond with the operator, Radial Aerotáxi Ltda.