What happened
On September 10, 2010, a Robinson R44 helicopter, registration PT-YON, departed from Ica Aerodrome (SSMW) in Peruíbe, São Paulo, bound for Campo de Marte (SBMT) in São Paulo. The flight was intended to transport a pilot and one passenger. Approximately fifteen minutes into the flight, the aircraft collided with the treetops of the Serra do Mar mountain range in the municipality of Itanhaém.
The impact was severe enough to separate the tail cone from the main fuselage, which became lodged in the upper canopy of the forest. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, and both the pilot and the passenger sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the meteorological conditions and the pilot's decision-making. While weather reports at the departure and destination airports indicated visual conditions, the investigation established that a dense layer of mist and low-altitude clouds covered the Serra do Mar region. This phenomenon, common in the area due to high humidity and orographic effects, obscured the mountain peaks.
The investigation examined the pilot's experience, noting he had approximately 155 total flight hours. Although the pilot held a valid commercial license and aircraft type rating, the R44 was not certified for instrument flight, and the pilot lacked an instrument flight rating. Evidence from the wreckage suggested the aircraft was in level flight at the moment of impact, with the engine producing power, supporting the hypothesis that the pilot may have been attempting to maintain visual contact with the ground by descending into lower altitudes while encountering instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
Findings
- Adverse meteorological conditions, specifically dense humid mist and low cloud cover over the mountain range.
- Inadequate piloting judgment regarding the decision to continue the flight despite encountering adverse weather.
- Inadequate flight planning, as the risks associated with the route's weather variability were not sufficiently evaluated.
- The pilot's attempt to maintain visual references likely led to a reduction in altitude, increasing the risk of terrain collision.
- The pilot's limited flight experience may have contributed to an inaccurate assessment of the weather risks.