What happened
On January 28, 2011, at approximately 20:45 UTC, a Beechcraft 58, registration PR-BOR, crashed near Londrina, Paraná. The aircraft had departed from Aeródromo Governador José Richa (SBLO) for a local training flight intended to prepare one of the pilots for an upcoming practical checkride. The flight included two pilots and one passenger.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft proceeded to an area approximately eight miles west of the airfield. After roughly three minutes of flight, the aircraft entered a vertical descent. The impact occurred with the wings level and a high rate of sink, consistent with an aerodynamic stall. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, and all three fatalities occurred among the crew and passenger.
The investigation
CENIPA examined the wreckage and flight parameters, noting that the debris was concentrated and that the propellers were embedded vertically in the ground. Deformations in the engine cowlings and crankcases were consistent with a high vertical load during impact. The investigation also reviewed the certifications and licenses of the occupants, finding that the flight was being conducted in violation of Brazilian aeronautical regulations regarding pilot ratings and flight instruction.
Findings
- The aircraft was within weight and balance limits, and all maintenance documentation and airworthiness certificates were valid.
- The pilot in the left seat held a Private Pilot license for single-engine aircraft but lacked the required Multi-Engine rating to operate the Beechcraft 58.
- The pilot in the right seat, while holding a Multi-Engine rating, did not possess a Flight Instructor rating, making him unauthorized to conduct the training flight.
- The aircraft's flight path and the nature of the wreckage indicated that the aerodynamic stall was the primary mechanism leading to the vertical impact.