What happened
On October 14, 2013, a Cessna 150J, registration PT-KYB, was conducting a flight training mission between Bragança Paulista and Jundiaxi, Brazil. The flight, operated by YROS FLY ESCOLA DE AV CIVIL LTDA, included a student and an instructor on board. The mission profile included performing touch-and-go exercises at the Rio Claro Aerodrome (SDRK).
During the first touch-and-go maneuver, the aircraft suffered a sudden loss of engine power. The instructor attempted to return to the runway but was unable to maintain altitude or reach the strip. Consequently, the crew performed an emergency landing in a cultivated field located approximately 1.6 km from the threshold of runway 03. Due to the uneven terrain of the field, the nose gear collapsed upon impact. Both occupants of the aircraft escaped without injury, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose gear, propeller, and engine cowling.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history and flight logs. It was established that the aircraft had been inactive for nearly 33 months, having not flown between May 2010 and February 2013. During this period, there were no documented preservation measures taken to maintain the aircraft's airworthiness. Furthermore, the aircraft's technical logs (cell, engine, and propeller) were found to be outdated, lacking necessary entries, signatures, and proper ANAC identification codes required by regulation.
Investigators also noted reports that the aircraft had been exhibiting poor climb performance compared to manual specifications, yet no formal discrepancies had been recorded in the technical logs. The investigation highlighted a failure to follow standard procedures for documenting technical non-conformities.
Findings
- Engine power loss during a training maneuver.
- Lack of proper aircraft preservation during a long period of inactivity (33 months).
- Inadequate maintenance record-keeping, including outdated and incomplete technical logs.
- Failure to document known performance discrepancies, such as degraded climb rates.
- Inadequate management oversight and flight discipline.