What happened
On December 29, 2020, a Cessna 177B, registration PT-KCK, was performing a private flight from Manoel Ribas Aerodrome to Guaratuba Municipal Aerodrome in the state of Paraná, Brazil. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and three passengers.
During the en-route phase of the flight, near the municipality of Roncador, the aircraft encountered deteriorating weather conditions. The pilot, who was qualified for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) but lacked an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) rating, likely lost visual references and inadvertently entered Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). This transition led to a loss of control in flight. The resulting high load factor caused the aircraft's structure to exceed its design limits, resulting in the separation of the right-hand wing while still in flight. The aircraft subsequently crashed into a river in the municipality of Mato Rico. The impact resulted in four fatalities, including the pilot and all three passengers, and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the structural failure and the pilot's decision-making. Investigators examined the wreckage and found that the engine was still operating at the time of impact, evidenced by the forward bend in one of the propeller blades. Technical analysis of the right-hand wing by DCTA engineers confirmed that the wing spar and trailing edge components failed due to structural overload.
The investigation also reviewed the pilot's background and flight planning. While the pilot held a valid medical certificate and a commercial pilot license, he was not certified for IMC operations. Investigators also noted that the aircraft's airframe, engine, and propeller logbooks were out of date. Furthermore, the investigation explored the psychological context, noting that the pilot may have felt significant pressure to complete the trip to attend a year-end celebration, having already postponed the flight by one day due to previous weather issues.
Findings
- The pilot was qualified for VFR flight but did not possess an IFR flight rating.
- The aircraft was not certified for flight in IMC.
- The aircraft's structural failure was caused by overload of the right-hand wing during loss of control.
- The pilot's decision-making was influenced by a desire to reach his destination for a social event, leading to a failure to deviate from the route or discontinue the flight when encountering bad weather.
- Inappropriate flight planning and an inadequate attitude regarding adverse weather conditions contributed to the encounter with IMC.