What happened
On October 22, 2015, a Cessna 150H, registration PR-DMT, was conducting a local flight instruction mission near the Agropastor/Bom Pastor Aerodrome in Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso. The flight crew, consisting of a flight instructor and a student, was performing a simulated engine failure maneuver during the final approach to runway 25.
During the maneuver, the aircraft drifted to the right of the runway centerline. In an attempt to reach the runway, a steep left-hand turn was executed at a low altitude with the engine at idle power. This combination of low airspeed, high bank angle, and reduced power caused the aircraft to lose lift and enter a spin. The aircraft completed a 270-degree turn before impacting the ground in a nearly vertical trajectory. The impact resulted in two fatalities and substantial damage to the aircraft's engine and structure.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the flight dynamics and the organizational environment of the flight school. Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance records, noting that while the airworthiness certificate was valid, the logbooks for the airframe, engine, and propeller were not up to date. The investigation also revealed that the instructor was maintaining parallel Excel spreadsheets for flight hours and maintenance tracking.
Beyond the technical aspects, the investigation looked into the training standards of the school. It was established that the school lacked formal registration with ANAC to provide practical flight instruction and did not have a formal system to monitor student or instructor performance. The relationship between the instructor and the student, who were also colleagues at the school, was also scrutinized for potential impacts on safety decision-making.