What happened
On December 6, 2020, an Air Tractor AT-502B, registration PP-MVC, was performing agricultural spraying operations at Fazenda Manganeli in Bom Jesus, Piau and. The aircraft, operated for private agricultural use, had completed two successful flight segments of the day and was returning for its third landing.
During the landing roll, after the nose wheel made contact with the ground, the aircraft drifted to the right of the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct the deviation by applying maximum braking and left pedal input, and briefly engaged reverse thrust to prevent exiting the landing area. However, the aircraft continued its excursion, eventually coming to a stop approximately 40 meters from the initial nose wheel touchdown point. The aircraft's wheels ended up in the vegetation on the right side of the strip. The excursion resulted in the propeller tips striking the ground and caused light damage to the left main landing gear.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the flight history, the pilot's credentials, and the aircraft's maintenance records. The pilot held a valid Commercial Pilot license with appropriate ratings for single-engine land and agricultural aircraft operations, supported by approximately 3,400 total flight hours, including 1,000 hours in the AT-502B. The aircraft was found to be airworthy, with all maintenance logs up to date and operating within weight and balance limits.
Environmental conditions were favorable, with clear skies and a temperature of approximately 26°C. The investigation noted that while the landing strip was dry, the area immediately adjacent to the runway consisted of sandy soil. Investigators utilized aerial drone imagery and residue marks on the ground to reconstruct the aircraft's trajectory, as recent rains had partially obscured tire marks.
Findings
- The primary contributing factor was the inappropriate application of flight controls by the pilot in an attempt to correct the aircraft's trajectory caused by a crosswind.
- A left-sided wind was present during the approach, contributing to the initial drift.
- The sandy nature of the soil on the side of the runway likely interfered with the expected response of the aircraft to the pilot's corrective inputs.