What happened
On August 25, 2018, at approximately 06:00 UTC, a Piper PA-34-200T, registration PR-VCV, performed a forced landing at Fazenda Boa Vista, located in Barretos, São Paulo. The origin of the flight was unknown at the time of the incident. Several hours after the landing, at approximately 11:00 UTC, the aircraft caught fire. Initial evidence indicated that the fire may have been an intentional act.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by SERIPA IV, was notified of the event by the Civil Police of Barretos. Investigators were unable to locate the crew or the operator, which prevented the collection of essential flight information. Furthermore, no records were found in local hospitals regarding injuries resulting from aviation-related trauma. Due to the nature of the fire, the specific extent of the damage caused by the initial forced landing could not be assessed.
Findings
- The fire began approximately four hours after the aircraft had completed its forced landing.
- There were indications of arson regarding the fire that consumed the aircraft.
- The investigation was officially interrupted because evidence suggested the possibility of criminal activity, which falls outside the scope of the aeronautical accident prevention mandate.