What happened
On May 12, 2019, at approximately 20:40 UTC, a Neiva EMB 810-D, registration PT-RSP, landed at Jequié Aerodrome (SNJK) in Bahia, Brazil, during nighttime hours. The flight originated from Santa Maria (SBAR) in Sergipe, carrying a pilot and four passengers.
According to the flight plan, the estimated flight time was 90 minutes, with the aircraft possessing sufficient fuel autonomy for 4.5 hours. However, the pilot was aware that the scheduled arrival would occur after sunset, which was at 20:21 UTC that day. Radar data from CINDACTA III confirmed that the aircraft was approximately 47.2 nautical miles from the destination at the time of sunset. Despite the lack of authorization for night operations at SNJK, the pilot performed several passes over the aerodrome before entering the traffic pattern for runway 14 and completing the landing. The passengers on board were part of a musical group scheduled to perform in the city that evening.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation established that the pilot held valid medical certification and multi-engine land (MLTE) ratings, and the aircraft held a valid airworthiness certificate. The investigation found no evidence of technical or operational failures that would have necessitated an emergency landing.
Investigators noted that the landing violated several regulatory standards. Specifically, the flight planning failed to account for the operational restrictions of the destination aerodrome as required by ICA 100-12. Furthermore, the operation did not meet the requirements for VFR night flight under ICA 110-12, as the aerodrome was not authorized for night operations. Because the incident involved a deliberate violation of air traffic rules, CENIPA elected to interrupt the investigation, noting that the safety implications of such unauthorized operations were already well-documented in previous safety analyses.