What happened
On August 28, 2014, an EMB-720D Embraer Neiva, registration PT-RXS, was performing a scheduled air taxi flight from Aeródromo de Pouso da Águia to the Catrimani I aerodrome in Mucajaí, Roraima. The aircraft was carrying one pilot and five passengers.
Upon landing on the grass runway, the pilot lost control of the aircraft. The plane veered to the left side of the runway and collided with nearby vegetation approximately 30 meters beyond the end of runway 29. The impact caused substantial damage to the aircraft's wings, propeller, and engine. All six occupants of the aircraft escaped the incident without injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the runway conditions and the pilot's maneuvers. The Catrimani I aerodrome is a private grass strip with a 700m x 30m dimension and a 16-meter slope toward runway 11. At the time of the accident, the surface was slippery due to recent rainfall, and the runway lacked ground aids to assist in identifying surface conditions.
Investigators analyzed the braking distance required for the aircraft. Based on manufacturer specifications, a landing distance of approximately 490 meters would be required under dry conditions. Even accounting for the 16-meter slope and the slippery surface, the investigation determined that if the aircraft had touched down within the first 100 meters of the runway, there would have been 110 meters of remaining runway available for a full stop. This finding effectively ruled out the theory that the runway was too short for the intended operation.
The pilot reported that the braking process would not have allowed the aircraft to stop within the runway limits, prompting an abrupt leftward yaw maneuver to stop the aircraft immediately. The investigation considered whether factors such as weight, high approach speed, or an improper landing direction (relative to wind or slope) contributed to the event. A secondary hypothesis suggested that the loss of control may have resulted from improper control inputs following touchdown on the wet surface, leading to inadvertent uncoordinated flight.
Findings
- Improper application of flight controls;
- Errors in pilot judgment;
- Inadequate flight planning.