What happened
On December 12, 2015, a Neiva EMB-202 aircraft, registration PT-URN, was performing agricultural spraying operations near Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul. After completing six successful spray passes, the pilot attempted a short landing at an improvised airstrip located at Granja Quatro Irmãos.
In an effort to minimize ground time and expedite the refueling process, the pilot executed a low-altitude approach with significantly reduced power. The aircraft descended unexpectedly, touching down in a rice field approximately 20 meters before the runway threshold. During the undershoot, the aircraft collided with an irrigation mound (a small earthen wall), causing the landing gear to collapse and resulting in damage to the propeller blades and engine cowlings. The pilot was uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the flight sequence and the pilot's operational habits. The investigation established that the pilot had been habitually performing short landings to save time, a practice that had become part of his routine. Analysis of the aircraft's performance charts revealed that the required landing distance for the specific configuration and weight was approximately 438 meters, with a ground roll of 154 meters. However, the pilot was attempting to stop the aircraft within only 130 meters from the threshold by using an excessively low approach speed and heavy braking.
Additionally, the investigation found that while the pilot was properly licensed and the aircraft's airworthiness certificate was valid, the 50-hour and 100-hour inspections for the airframe, engine, and propeller were overdue, and the maintenance logs had not been updated to reflect the hours flown beyond these intervals.