What happened
On January 16, 2013, an Embraer EMB-500, registration PP-COR, was performing a flight from Iturama to Campo Florido. The aircraft was carrying one pilot and five passengers. During the landing phase at Campo Florido Aerodrome, the aircraft failed to stop within the paved runway limits, overrunning the end of the runway by approximately 80 meters. After exiting the paved surface, the aircraft traveled across a dirt section before colliding with natural obstacles and a fence. All six occupants escaped the incident uninjured, though the aircraft sustained light damage to the right wing, the landing gear doors, and the right fuselage.
The investigation
The CENIPA investigation established that the aircraft approached the runway at a speed of 110 knots, which was 10 knots above the recommended reference speed (VRef) of 100 knots. Flight Data Recorder (FDR) analysis also revealed a 7-knot tailwind component. While the pilot had estimated that 970 meters of runway would be sufficient for a full stop, the investigation calculated that the actual required distance under these specific conditions was 1,257 meters, exceeding the available 1,100-meter runway length.
Investigators also noted that the pilot relied on verbal information from a ground contact regarding wind and runway conditions rather than consulting the aircraft's onboard instruments. Furthermore, the presence of sugarcane bagasse near the runway was found to have contributed to runway contamination, as wind-blown dust from the residue likely reduced the friction coefficient of the wet asphalt surface.
Findings
- Excessive approach speed: The pilot maintained an approach speed 10 knots above the prescribed VRef.
- Tailwind component: A 7-knot tailwind increased the required landing distance.
- Inadequate operational assessment: The pilot failed to utilize onboard electronic instruments to verify wind conditions, relying instead on external verbal reports.
- Runway contamination: The dispersion of sugarcane bagasse dust onto the runway likely decreased surface friction, particularly as the pavement was wet.
- Inaccurate performance calculation: The pilot's calculated stopping distance was insufficient for the actual environmental conditions.