Accident Overview
At approximately 1600 local time, a twin-engine airplane departed from Videira-Ângelo Ponzoni Airport on a flight to Campo de Marte, carrying six passengers, who were the aircraft's owner, and one pilot. The flight was uneventful until the approach to Campo de Marte Airport at night, when the pilot encountered technical problems with the landing gear indicator system. Air traffic control cleared the pilot to perform two low passes over the airport to visually confirm the issue.
After overflying runway 30 threshold with the intention to land, the airplane rolled to the left and crashed inverted approximately 100 meters to the left of runway 30. The aircraft burst into flames upon impact. All six passengers sustained injuries; two were seriously injured. The pilot died in the accident.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined several contributing factors to the accident, though the root cause was not explicitly stated. Among the contributing factors were undetermined issues related to the pilot's attitude, training, emotional state, and handling of aircraft flight controls. Additionally, piloting judgment and decision-making process were identified as contributors. The investigation noted that the pilot likely performed multiple traffic circuits to ensure the landing gear had locked down, aiming to avoid the consequences of landing with faulty gear, which reflected challenges in his way of thinking and led to improvisation of procedures. It was also suggested that the pilot may have lacked the necessary skills from simulator training to manage the emergency, and that stress from having superiors on board and potential aircraft damage may have contributed.
The report further indicated that improper use of flight controls during final approach might have allowed speeds near stall speed, and inadequate application of controls to counteract effects could have led to the sudden left roll and spin condition resulting from stall. The pilot's focus on the landing gear indicator may have caused selective perception or 'tunnel vision,' affecting his decision-making.
Conclusion
The accident resulted from a combination of factors, with the pilot's fixation on the landing gear indicator malfunction and subsequent decisions playing a significant role. No single cause was pinpointed by the investigation.