What happened
On December 28, 2020, a Piper PA 25-235, registration PR-ALA, was performing an agricultural flight near Rio Paranaíba, Minas Gerais. The aircraft, operated by Socana Aviação Agrícola, had departed from the Rio Paranaíba Aerodrome (SNRP) to apply agricultural products to a local farm. According to the operator, the aircraft encountered a wind gust during the mission, which led to a loss of control and a subsequent impact with the ground. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, though the specific injuries to the pilot remained unverified.
The investigation
The investigation by CENIPA faced significant obstacles due to a 19-day delay in reporting; the accident occurred on December 28, but the authorities were only notified on January 15, 2021. During this interval, the aircraft was removed from the site and dismantled by the operator without the authorization of the SIPAER investigation authority. Furthermore, the accident site was not preserved, preventing the collection of essential data during the initial phase of the investigation.
Investigators were able to confirm that the pilot held valid commercial licenses for single-engine land and agricultural aircraft operations, and possessed a valid medical certificate. The aircraft also held a valid Special Flight Authorization (AEV). However, because the site was disturbed and the aircraft dismantled, investigators could not verify weight and balance limits or confirm the exact meteorological conditions at the time of the impact.