No fatalities

2018-09-05: Beechcraft 90 King Air (PR-GVJ) — Gabriel Claudio de Sales — Vila Rica, Brazil

Vila Rica, BrazilLanding (descent or approach)

On September 5, 2018, a Beechcraft 90 King Air (registration PR-GVJ) operated by Gabriel Claudio de Sales was involved in an aviation accident near Vila Rica, Brazil during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot descended too low on approach to an umprepared terrain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781191240Data APIEditorial standards

A private flight from Belo Horizonte to Confresa ended in a crash after the pilot descended too low during an approach to an unprepared landing site, striking a lake and its bank. All six occupants were injured, one seriously.

Incident Overview

On the morning of the accident, a twin-engine airplane departed Belo Horizonte-Pampulha-Carlos Drummond de Andrade Airport at 0820 local time on a private flight to Confresa. The aircraft carried five passengers and one pilot. While descending toward Confresa, the pilot decided to fly directly to the owner's farm, Fazenda Angola, located in Vila Rica approximately 80 kilometers northeast of Confresa Airport.

Sequence of Events

During the final approach, the aircraft was too low and struck the surface of a lake, then its bank. The impact tore off the undercarriage, causing the aircraft to crash-land and come to rest on its belly. There was no fire. All six occupants sustained injuries, one of them serious. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable Cause

The official investigation determined that the probable cause was the pilot descending too low on approach to an unprepared terrain. Contributing factors included attitude, command application, pilot judgment, decision-making process, and lack of adherence to regulations established by the Brazilian civil aviation authority.