What happened
On June 27, 2010, a CAP-4 aircraft, registration PP-RRY, was conducting a navigation flight from Santa Rosa to Santo Ângelo, Brazil. The flight was intended to be a solo training mission for a student pilot; however, a private pilot was on board to assist with personal matters.
Upon entering the traffic pattern at Santo Ângle, the crew encountered a strong crosswind of approximately 30 knots, which exceeded the maximum allowable crosswind component of 17 knots. After two unsuccessful landing attempts (go-arounds), the pilot elected to land in a soybean field located approximately 1 km from the runway, aligned with the wind direction. The aircraft landed without damage, and both occupants were uninjured. Once the wind subsided later that evening, the aircraft was moved from the field back to the Santo Ângelo aerodrome.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation revealed that the mission deviated from the established training syllabus, as the student was scheduled for a solo flight but was accompanied by a private pilot. The investigation also noted that the local radio station was not operational, leaving the crew without real-time meteorological updates from the aerodrome.
Furthermore, the investigation examined the operational environment of the flight school, finding that the safety management structure was hindered by administrative burdens. It was noted that the safety prevention element was overstretched, and there was a lack of consistent use of safety reporting tools (RELPREV) among the crew and staff. The investigation also identified deficiencies in the oversight of student instruction and the quality of flight training records.
Findings
- The pilot made a premature and inadequate decision to land in an unprepared field despite having sufficient fuel autonomy to divert to alternative aerodromes, such as Ijuí or Santa Rosa.
- High crosswind conditions (30 knots) exceeded the aircraft's operational limits.
- Organizational failures within the flight school, including weak safety culture and inadequate supervision of training procedures.
- Lack of effective operational monitoring due to administrative overload in the safety department.