What happened
On January 6, 2011, a Neiva EMB-202, registration PT-UMX, was performing agricultural spraying operations after departing from a landing strip at Fazenda J.H.S. During the flight, the aircraft experienced an engine failure, which led to the pilot losing control and crashing into a flooded area near Caiapônia, Goiás. The pilot was not located until approximately seven hours after the initial occurrence.
The investigation
The investigation by SERIPA VI faced significant challenges due to the delayed reporting of the accident; the occurrence was only communicated to authorities on May 14, 2011, more than four months after the event. Furthermore, the aircraft was removed from the crash site without authorization from the investigating command and without proper data collection or documentation. Because the aircraft was handled without qualified supervision, investigators were unable to perform technical analyses, specifically regarding the engine's performance or failure mechanism.
Due to the lack of access to the wreckage and the delay in reporting, investigators could not verify the pilot's medical certification, flight ratings, or experience. Additionally, the airworthiness of the aircraft, its weight and balance status, the maintenance logs for the engine and propeller, and the prevailing meteorological conditions at the time of the accident could not be determined.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
- The pilot sustained serious injuries.
- The investigation could not establish a definitive cause due to the unauthorized removal of the aircraft and the delayed notification of the accident.