What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2019-01-27 involved a aircraft, registration PRAXP, at QUEIMADAS, BA, BR.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The incident was caused by the commander's physiological impairment, characterized by a loss of alertness and impaired reaction capability, compounded by a misperception of his own medical condition which led to a delay in requesting an emergency diversion.

Pilot medical emergency leads to diversion of Embraer 190

A flight crew member's sudden physical collapse during cruise flight forced an emergency diversion to Salvador, Brazil, after the pilot became unresponsive.

What happened

On January 27, 2019, an ERJ 190-2లు00 LR, registration PR-AXP, operated by Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras S.A., was performing a scheduled passenger flight from Goiânia (SBGO) to Recife (SBRF). The aircraft was carrying five crew members and 115 passengers.

During the cruise phase at flight level 350, the commander began experiencing severe physical distress, including nausea and vomiting. As the pilot's condition deteriorated, the co-pilot took control of the aircraft and declared a "PAN, PAN" emergency. A physician traveling as a passenger provided medical assistance, noting that the commander had become prostrate and was largely unresponsive to verbal stimuli, only reacting to painful stimuli. The crew requested a diversion to Salvador (SBSV), where the aircraft landed safely at 23:56 UTC. There were no injuries and no damage to the aircraft.

The investigation

CENIPA's investigation focused on the physiological state of the crew and the decision-making process leading to the emergency. The investigation examined the commander's recent flight history, noting he was on the fourth day of a five-day mission. While the commander had felt unwell the previous night, he had assessed himself as fit to fly the scheduled legs.

Medical examination during the flight by the onboard physician initially raised concerns of a myocardial infarction, though subsequent hospital evaluations in Salvador suggested otherwise. The investigation also looked into the possibility of food poisoning from recent layovers. Furthermore, the investigation noted that because the operator did not immediately identify the occurrence as a serious incident, the aircraft continued to its destination, which prevented investigators from retrieving and analyzing the cockpit voice recordings.

Findings

The commander experienced a significant loss of alertness and a diminished capacity to react due to physiological distress.
The commander's misperception of his own physical state led him to initially believe he was capable of continuing the flight, even resisting the co-pilot's first suggestion to divert to the nearest airport.
An incorrect assessment of his physical symptoms may have been influenced by an overconfidence in his ability to manage the situation.
The cause of the physical symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, was potentially linked to food poisoning from a previous stop, though this remains undetermined.
The co-pilot's training and proficiency allowed for the safe management of the aircraft and a successful emergency landing.