What happened
On March 24, 2017, an Embraer EMB-810D, registration PT-RVA, was performing a private cargo and personnel transport flight from Querência, Mato Grosso, to Goiânia, Goiás. The flight involved one pilot and three passengers.
Upon landing on runway 13 at the Aeródromo Nacional de Aviação (SWNV), the pilot attempted to retract the flaps during the landing roll to increase braking efficiency. During this maneuver, the pilot inadvertently retracted the landing gear instead of the flaps. This caused the aircraft to veer off the right side of the runway. The aircraft sustained light damage, but all four occupants escaped without injury.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the cockpit configuration and the pilot's previous flight experience. The investigation revealed that the pilot had extensive professional experience flying the Beechcraft BE55 Baron, but had only 80 total hours on the EMB-810D model, with only 12 hours logged in the 30 days prior to the accident.
Crucially, the investigation identified a significant ergonomic difference between the two aircraft types. In the BE55, the flap control is located to the left of the throttle pedestal, while the landing gear lever is located to the right. In the EMB-810D, the landing gear lever is positioned to the left of the pedestal, in a location very close to where the flap control was situated in the pilot's previous aircraft. This similarity in control placement likely led to the pilot's muscle memory causing the incorrect lever movement.
Furthermore, the investigation noted that the aircraft's flight manual advises against retracting flaps during the landing roll unless additional braking is strictly necessary, specifically to prevent the accidental activation of the landing gear lever.
Findings
- Inadvertent gear retraction due to the pilot's reliance on muscle memory from a different aircraft type.
- Ergonomic similarity between the landing gear lever position in the EMB-810D and the flap control position in the BE55.
- Limited recent experience with the EMB-810D model.
- Inadequate pilot judgment regarding the necessity of retracting flaps during the landing roll.