What happened
On November 29, 2018, an RV-10, registration PP-ZDS, departed from an unregistered airstrip known as Clube das Águias in Trindade, Goiás, for a private flight to the Guaíra Aerodrome in Paraná. Following the loss of contact, the aircraft's wreckage was located by private citizens the following day in a flooded area within the Várzea do Rio Ivinhema State Park, in Jateí, Mato Grosso do Sul. The wreckage was found partially submerged, approximately 519 nautical miles from the departure point. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the aircraft suffered substantial damage.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators established that the pilot was operating with an expired single-engine land (MNTE) rating, which had been invalid since November 2016. Although the pilot held a valid medical certificate, they were not legally qualified to conduct the flight. The investigation also noted that the departure took place from an unregistered runway, which is a violation of Brazilian aviation regulations.
Due to the location of the wreckage in a difficult-to-access wetland, investigators could not access the aircraft's documentation, which was destroyed by water. Consequently, it was impossible to determine the aircraft's weight and balance status or the amount of fuel on board at the time of departure, leaving the sufficiency of fuel for the intended flight duration unknown.