What happened
On October 13, 2019, a private experimental Conquest 1s0, registration PU-UMG, was performing a private flight departing from the Taubaté Airfield (SBTA) in Taubaté, São Paulo. During the final approach and landing phase, the aircraft's auxiliary landing gear collapsed. The aircraft continued along the runway for several meters before coming to a complete stop. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, escaped the incident without injury, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators confirmed that the pilot held valid medical and flight certifications, including qualifications for land-based fixed-wing sport aircraft. The aircraft, an amateur-built experimental model, possessed valid experimental markings and flight authorizations. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were favorable for flight.
However, the investigation faced significant limitations regarding the aircraft's maintenance history. The investigation commission was not provided with the flight manuals, the maintenance and inspection program, or the airframe logbooks. Consequently, investigators could not verify if the aircraft was operating within its weight and balance limits or if the maintenance of the landing gear assembly had been performed according to the manufacturer's requirements.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident, the failure of the auxiliary landing gear, could not be definitively determined due to a lack of maintenance traceability.
- The absence of airframe logbooks and maintenance records prevented the verification of compliance with required inspection intervals for the landing gear components.