What happened
On December 9, 2018, a Cessna 172P, bearing the reserved registration PR-SFJ, crashed in a rural area near Chapadão do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul. The aircraft had departed from an unregistered location within the same municipality, intending to fly to the Costa Rica aerodrome (SDXJ).
Following the impact, the wreckage was located in a soybean plantation. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, and the pilot sustained fatal injuries. The distribution of the debris indicated that the aircraft struck the ground at a high velocity and a low angle in an abnormal attitude. There were no signs of fire occurring before or after the impact.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators established that while the pilot held a valid private pilot license and a valid medical certificate, the aircraft's legal status was highly irregular. Although the aircraft had a reserved Brazilian registration (PR-SFJ), it had not undergone the formal nationalization process required by Brazilian regulations.
Records indicated the aircraft had been imported from the United States in 2011 without an Export Certificate. While its previous U.S. registration (N54023) was canceled in March 2018, there was no evidence that the necessary steps—such as technical inspections, customs clearance, or the issuance of a valid Certificate of Airworthiness—had been completed in Brazil. Furthermore, the aircraft was reportedly sold in pieces, with several essential components, including the engine, propeller, and instrument panel, missing at the time of the incident.
Due to the lack of maintenance logs and the inability to locate the aircraft owner, investigators could not verify the maintenance history or the traceability of the aircraft's components. Additionally, reports surfaced that unidentified individuals removed various parts and belongings from the wreckage following the crash.
Findings
- The aircraft lacked a valid Certificate of Airworthiness due to the failure to complete the nationalization process.
- The aircraft was operating without a completed registration in Brazil, possessing only a reservation of marks.
- Maintenance records for the airframe, engine, and propeller were unavailable, preventing any verification of the aircraft's mechanical airworthiness.
- The pilot was properly licensed and medically certified at the time of the accident.
- Meteorological conditions were favorable for flight.
- The exact cause of the crash remains undetermined due to the lack of accessible maintenance data and the irregular status of the aircraft.