What happened
On December 24, 2015, an Embraer EMB-202A, registration PT-VTW, was performing agricultural spraying operations near Itapeva, Brazil. The aircraft departed from Fazenda São Marco with a pilot on board, carrying 150 liters of fuel in the right wing and 80 liters in the left wing. During the mission, the aircraft experienced an engine failure in flight.
To avoid a more serious accident, the pilot performed an emergency landing in an unprepared soybean field at Fazenda Linda Esperança, located in Itaberá, São Paulo. The aircraft sustained no damage during the landing, and the pilot was uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators arrived at the scene to examine the circumstances of the engine failure. However, upon arrival, the investigation team found that the aircraft had already been tampered with. Specifically, a mechanic from the operator, Agrosema Aero Agrícola, had performed maintenance work on the aircraft before the investigators could examine the evidence.
Because the aircraft was removed from the site without authorization from the SIPAER investigation team and the engine components had been accessed by unauthorized personnel, investigators were unable to verify the specific evidence regarding the engine failure or determine the exact cause of the malfunction.
Findings
- The pilot held valid medical and technical certifications and was qualified for the type of operation.
- The pilot had approximately 438 hours of experience in the aircraft model and 1,623 total flight hours.
- The Embraer EMB-202A was airworthy, with all maintenance logs for the airframe, engine, and propeller up to date.
- The aircraft was within weight and balance limits at the time of the event.
- The primary cause of the investigation's inability to reach a conclusion was the unauthorized maintenance and removal of the aircraft from the site prior to the investigation.