What happened
On August 4, 2013, at approximately 22:30 UTC, an Embraer 711ST, registration PT-RHI, crashed while attempting to land at the Paragominas Aerodrome (SNEB) in Pará, Brazil. The flight originated from Fazenda Nova Conceição (SNZU) and was conducted without a flight plan.
After overflying the runway, the pilot entered the traffic pattern for a landing on runway 09. During the approach, the aircraft struck trees in a wooded area approximately 2.5km from the runway threshold. The impact caused the left wing and the empennage to detach. The fuselage subsequently struck the ground at a steep angle, leading to a post-crash fire that completely destroyed the aircraft. The pilot sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation established that the aircraft was operating at night under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). Although the Paragominas Aerodrome was listed in the aeronautical information as authorized for night operations, the runway lighting system had been inoperable for several months. Crucially, no NOTAM had been issued to alert pilots to this lack of lighting.
The investigation also noted that the pilot had been participating in local festivities and had experienced very little sleep the night before the accident. Furthermore, the flight departed from an aerodrome not certified for night operations, and the aircraft was flying over an unlit, heavily wooded area under a dark sky with minimal lunar illumination, making the horizon difficult to discern.
Findings
- Spatial disorientation: The combination of low luminosity, the lack of a visible horizon, and the inoperable runway lighting likely caused the pilot to lose situational awareness during the turning maneuver.
- Inadequate decision-making: The pilot's decision to depart from a non-certified night-operation airfield and proceed to an unlit runway contributed to the accident.
- Flight indiscipline: The flight was conducted in violation of established regulations (ICA 100-12) regarding night operations from non-certified locations.
- Overconfidence: The pilot's decision to proceed with the flight despite warnings from others suggested an excessive level of self-confidence and a failure to properly assess the risks of the night operation.