What happened
On November 9, 2015, an Embraer EMB-810C, registration PT-EJF, was conducting a ferry flight from Fortaleza, Ceará, to Ceará-Mirim, Rio Grande do Norte. The flight was being operated under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) with a single pilot on board. During the descent phase of the flight, the pilot observed abnormal operation of the right engine accompanied by a drop in fuel pressure.
In an attempt to prevent a total engine failure during a more critical phase of flight, such as the final approach, the pilot feathered and shut down the right engine. Following the shutdown, the aircraft experienced significantly degraded performance, making it impossible to maintain level flight on a single engine. The pilot subsequently executed an emergency landing in an open, unobstructed field in the rural area of Taipu, RN. The aircraft traveled approximately 350 meters after touchdown before coming to a complete stop. The pilot was uninjured, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
The investigation
The investigation by CENIPA focused on the cause of the engine malfunction and the pilot's emergency management. Investigators found that the pilot was properly qualified and experienced in the aircraft type. However, the investigation revealed that the aircraft's fuel quantity indicators (float gauges) were not providing reliable readings, as they remained at zero when the aircraft was powered on.
Furthermore, investigators discovered the absence of a fuel drain from the right wing's internal tank. This omission likely led to a fuel leak, which may have caused the right engine failure. The investigation also noted that the pilot did not follow the established emergency checklist, which prescribed switching the fuel selector to the "crossfeed" position and activating the electric pump—actions that might have restored normal engine operation.
Findings
- The right engine failure was likely linked to a fuel leak caused by the missing fuel drain in the right wing tank.
- The pilot's decision to preemptively shut down the engine was an inadequate assessment of the situation, as the engine still had sufficient power to maintain level flight.
- The pilot failed to execute the prescribed emergency procedures regarding fuel crossfeed and electric pump activation.
- The aircraft was operating with inoperable fuel quantity indicators, which was in violation of Brazilian aeronautical regulations (RBHA 91).
- Contributing factors included flight indiscipline and errors in pilot judgment.