What happened
On October 9, 2014, at approximately 11:40 UTC, a Neiva EMB-201A, registration PT-UFV, was performing agricultural spraying operations over a sugarcane field at Sítio Águas Correntes in Paraguaçu Paulista, Brazil. The aircraft departed from a makeshift runway on the property to begin its mission.
Following the first application pass, the pilot experienced a sudden loss of engine power. In an attempt to recover, the pilot switched fuel tanks and activated the auxiliary electric fuel pump (booster). However, the pilot was unable to restore fuel flow before the aircraft impacted the ground. The forced landing resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, though the pilot escaped without injury and no third parties were harmed.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by SERIPA IV established that the aircraft's engine was fully operational and capable of producing normal power during bench testing. Analysis of the fuel revealed no contamination.
Investigators found that the right wing tank was empty at the time of the accident. While the pilot reported having 30 liters of ethanol in the right wing and 60 liters in the left, the investigation noted that the aircraft's fuel consumption charts suggested the remaining fuel in the right wing would have provided only about 20 minutes of endurance. This discrepancy suggested an inadequate assessment of fuel levels during the operation.
Furthermore, the investigation examined the use of the auxiliary fuel pump. Although the aircraft's operating manual and cockpit placards explicitly mandate the use of the electric booster during takeoff, landing, and agricultural operations, the pilot had been operating without the pump active. While the pilot did activate the pump during the emergency, there was insufficient time to re-establish flow before the collision.
Findings
- Pilot judgment regarding fuel management and the use of required equipment.
- Inadequate monitoring of fuel levels, leading to the exhaustion of the right wing tank.
- Failure to utilize the mandatory auxiliary electric fuel pump during agricultural flight phases, which delayed the restoration of fuel flow during the power loss event.