What happened
On December 4, 2013, a Britten-Norman BN-2A-3, registration PT-WMY, crashed shortly after departing from an unregistered landing strip at the Pykany Indian village in Novo Progresso, Pará. The flight, operated by Heringer Táxi Aéreo Ltda, was a passenger transport mission intended to provide medical assistance to indigenous populations.
Immediately after takeoff, the aircraft entered a descending trajectory and collided with trees in a wooded area approximately 1 km from the runway. The impact occurred at a steep pitch-down angle of roughly 75 degrees. The aircraft was destroyed, and all five occupants—the pilot, a company coordinator, and three passengers—perceptibly perished in the accident.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation revealed that the flight was conducted under highly irregular conditions. The aircraft used for the mission was not included in the operator's official Operating Specifications. Furthermore, the landing strip used for departure was neither registered nor approved by aviation authorities.
Investigators examined the crew's qualifications and found that while the pilot held a valid medical certificate and commercial license, he lacked specific training for the aircraft model's differences. The company coordinator, who was also on board, was operating with expired technical qualification certificates. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's airframe and engine logbooks were out of date, and the transport of a pressurized cylinder on board violated aviation regulations.
Findings
- Organizational culture: The investigation identified a culture of informal practices, where the use of unauthorized aircraft, unregistered runways, and insufficiently trained pilots was common.
- Managerial oversight: A lack of control by the company's management allowed flights to be conducted outside of the main base without proper authorization.
- Training and experience: The pilot's lack of specific model training and limited experience in the region may have compromised the ability to manage an engine failure during takeoff.
- Operational irregularities: The use of an aircraft not listed in the company's operating specifications and the use of an unapproved runway significantly increased the risk profile of the flight.