What happened
On December 27, 2008, at approximately 19:35 UTC, an Embraer EMB-820C, registration PT-EHG, operated by Addey Táxi Aéreo Ltda., departed Salvador (SBSV) for Lorenzo Aerodrome (SNCL) in Bahia, Brazil. The flight was a passenger transport operation carrying one pilot and eight passengers.
Upon landing on runway 22 at SNCL, the pilot was unable to decelerate the aircraft sufficiently. In an attempt to prevent a runway excursion, the pilot shut down both engines and applied maximum braking. Despite these efforts, the aircraft veered to the left and exited the left side of the runway. Following the excursion, a small fire began in the left brake assembly. All nine occupants escaped the aircraft without injury, though the aircraft sustained light damage.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by SERIPA II focused on the aircraft's weight and balance and the landing performance. Investigators found that the flight's cargo manifest contained inaccuracies regarding the aircraft's fuel load. While the manifest recorded 216kg of fuel, the actual fuel on board was 396kg (comprising 250kg of remaining fuel and 300kg of newly added fuel). This discrepancy resulted in an excess of 180kg of fuel compared to the documented weight.
Based on the flight duration of approximately 25 minutes and an hourly consumption rate of 150 liters, investigators estimated that the aircraft's weight at the time of landing was approximately 135kg above the maximum allowable landing weight. Additionally, meteorological data suggested the possibility of a tailwind component during the landing on runway 22.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating above the maximum allowable landing weight.
- Inaccurate flight planning and weight documentation regarding fuel reserves.
- Potential tailwind component during the landing phase.
- Errors in pilot judgment and flight planning.