What happened
On April 3, 2012, an EMB-820C operated by PEMA - Pereira Machado Táxi Aéreo Ltda. was performing a passenger transport flight from Redenção to São Félix do Xingu, Pará. The aircraft, registered as PT-EDC, was carrying two pilots and two passengers.
During the landing roll on the gravel segment of the runway at São Félix do Xingu (SNFX), the co-pilot inadvertently moved the landing gear lever to the "UP" position. The pilot flying, positioned in the left seat, was unable to intervene before the gear retraction sequence was activated. Following the retraction, the aircraft traveled approximately 80 meters before coming to a stop on the side of the runway. The movement caused the propellers to strike the ground, resulting in severe damage to the blades and light damage to the aircraft's underbelly. All four occupants were uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the mechanical and operational failures that allowed the gear to retract while the aircraft was on the ground. Although the EMB-820C is equipped with a safety system designed to prevent inadvertent retraction on the ground via a solenoid-controlled lock, investigators determined that the safety micro-switch failed to function as intended.
The investigation also scrutinized the operator's safety management. It was noted that the company lacked Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) as required by Brazilian regulations and could not provide training records for the crew. Furthermore, the crew had not undergone Crew Resource Management (CRM) training, which contributed to a breakdown in cockpit coordination and communication during the critical landing phase.