What happened
On January 15, 2007, at approximately 19:50 UTC, an EmbraER EMB-810C, registration PT-WKZ, operated by Adey Táxi Aéreo Ltda, performed a landing without landing gear at the Irecê Aerodrome (SNIC) in Bahia, Brazil. The aircraft had departed from Ibotirama (SNIT) for a mail transport mission.
During the approach to runway 11, the pilot failed to extend both the landing gear and the flaps. Despite audible warnings from the aircraft's systems indicating the gear was not down, the pilot continued the landing procedure. The aircraft struck the runway on its belly, resulting in substantial damage to the engines, propellers, and the lower fuselage. The pilot was uninjured.
The investigation
The CENIPA investigation established that the pilot had valid medical and technical certifications and was experienced in the aircraft type. However, the investigation focused on the pilot's failure to utilize the aircraft's checklist during the approach.
The pilot reported that personal family problems had significantly reduced his situational awareness and concentration during the flight. This lack of focus led to the omission of critical landing configurations. Furthermore, the investigation noted that the pilot was operating in a remote area of Bahia with minimal contact with the company's headquarters in Salvador, which hindered oversight.
Findings
- The pilot failed to execute the landing checklist, which would have identified the improper configuration of the flaps and landing gear.
- Personal problems caused a decline in the pilot's situational awareness, perception, and attention.
- The pilot ignored functional cockpit alarms regarding the landing gear status.
- A lack of formal organizational oversight by the operator prevented the detection of the pilot's psychological state or performance deviations.
- Contributing factors included failures in the pilot's attention, attitude, memory, and perception, as well as external influences.