What happened
On April 30, 2014, a Beechcraft 58, registration PT-WPZ, was performing a private flight from Barreiras, BA, to Corrent and Correntina, BA. During the landing roll at Correntina Aerodrome (SNTY), the aircraft struck a large land animal, identified as a deer, approximately 150 meters after touchdown.
The impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse, leading the propellers of both engines to make contact with the asphalt runway. The aircraft slid along the pavement for approximately 100 meters before coming to a complete stop. Despite the substantial damage to both engines, the propeller assemblies, and the nose landing gear, the pilot and the three passengers escaped the incident without injury.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the airfield's perimeter and found that the existing fencing was inadequate for preventing animal incursions into the operational area. The investigation revealed that the perimeter fence consisted of wires placed at an excessive vertical distance, and there were visible signs of breaches in the fencing. Furthermore, the presence of animal trails indicated that the site was being used as an access point for wildlife to reach the runway.
Findings
- Inadequate airport infrastructure, specifically a perimeter protection system that failed to prevent animals from entering the operational area.
- The presence of breaches in the airfield's fencing and the lack of effective barriers to mitigate wildlife risk.