VFR Descent in Marginal Weather Leads to Fatal Terrain Collision Near Chapecó (PR-RFB)

Flight Details and Accident Sequence The pilot departed Florianópolis-Hercílio Luz Airport at 1100LT on a flight to Chapecó. After an uneventful flight, the pilot began the descent to Chapecó-Serafim Enoss Bertasco Airport but encountered marginal weather conditions with limited visibility. While descending under VFR, the aircraft collided with trees and crashed in a dense wooded area in Ipumirim, approximately 50 km east of Chapecó Airport. The aircraft burst into flames and was destroyed by impact forces and the post-crash fire. The pilot, the sole occupant, was killed. ## Official Findings The official investigation identified controlled flight into terrain as the probable cause. Contributing factors included the pilot's attitude, adverse weather conditions, and decision-making process. The pilot continued the descent visually without performing the instrument approach required by the IFR flight plan, disregarding the risks. Although the aerodrome had conditions favorable for visual flight, dense fog covered the region near the impact site, meaning IFR rules with a minimum altitude of 5,000 ft should have been observed. The pilot's decision to continue the descent without considering IFR rules, based on an inadequate judgment of meteorological conditions, revealed difficulties in perceiving, analyzing, choosing alternatives, and acting adequately. ## Undetermined Factors The investigation noted undetermined factors related to the pilot's emotional state, external influences, and motivation. Some events in the pilot's personal life were negatively affecting his emotional state, and he appeared more introspective in the period leading up to the accident, possibly impairing his performance. The pilot was possibly experiencing difficult personal events that could have impacted his thinking, reactions, and work performance. Additionally, the pilot intended to return home to celebrate his birthday and that of his stepdaughter. Audio recordings of the pilot's telephony with GND-FL showed he insisted on accelerating his take-off, denoting possible high motivation focused on fulfilling his eagerness to accomplish the flight, which may have influenced flight performance.