What happened
On March 5, 2011, an Embraer EMB 202A agricultural aircraft, registration PT-UVE, crashed near Correntina, Bahia, during a crop dusting operation. The aircraft had departed from a temporary landing strip at Fazenda Xingú - Tabuleiro III to perform pesticide spraying. During a maneuver intended to align the aircraft with a spray swath, the pilot experienced a loss of control in flight. The aircraft traveled approximately 200 meters over low vegetation before impacting the ground and flipping over. The pilot sustained light injuries, while the aircraft suffered substantial damage.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the aircraft's performance and environmental conditions. While the pilot initially suggested that a strong downdraft might have caused the accident, meteorological data from CINDACTA III ruled out the presence of cumulonimbus clouds or significant downdutfts at the time. The investigation then focused on operational and weight-related factors.
Analysis of the aircraft's weight revealed that the aircraft was operating exceeding its Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW). The aircraft was loaded with 750 kg of agricultural product and 90 liters of ethanol. Calculations showed a takeoff weight of 1,980.69 kg, which was 180.69 kg above the permitted limit of 1,800 kg. The investigation found that the operator's practice of using the hopper's maximum capacity (750 kg) as a standard for loading was inherently unsafe, as this weight alone, when combined with the empty weight and fuel, pushed the aircraft beyond its structural limits.
Furthermore, the investigation identified a lack of oversight regarding ground operations. Ground crews were responsible for refueling and loading the agricultural product, often without adequate supervision from the pilot or the operator. There was no systematic process, such as standardized spreadsheets, to ensure that loading data was communicated to the pilot to allow for accurate weight and balance planning.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating outside of its permitted weight and balance envelope.
- The practice of using the hopper's maximum capacity as a loading standard led to an overweighted takeoff.
- There was a lack of coordination and communication between ground crews and the pilot regarding the actual weight of fuel and agricultural products loaded.
- Organizational and management factors, including inadequate flight planning and lack of supervision, contributed to the accident.
Safety action
CENIPA issued the following recommendations to the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC):
- Ensure the operator implements technical retraining for pilots regarding the EMB 202A, focusing on flight planning and avoiding operations outside the MTOW.
- Emphasize the importance of weight and balance calculations during agricultural pilot training.
- Evaluate the removal of the "750 kg max load" marking near the hopper filling spout to prevent operators from using that value as a standalone loading standard without considering total aircraft weight.