What happened
On October 28, 1995, a Piper PA-12, registration PP-DHZ, was performing aerial advertising duties (banner towing) along the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The aircraft was part of a formation of three planes flying at 250 feet, maintaining 150-meter separation.
During the flight, the pilot of the following aircraft observed the PP-A12 enter a steep, descending right-hand turn. The aircraft abruptly released its banner and ceased all radio communication. The plane maintained a 45-degree bank until it impacted the ocean approximately 400 meters from Praia da Macumba. The aircraft submerged immediately and was later recovered from a depth of 15 meters. The pilot sustained fatal injuries upon impact with the water.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and the aircraft's maintenance history. The investigation revealed that the aircraft had previously been submerged in seawater following an accident in 1993. While repairs had been performed to treat corrosion, investigators found that the corrosion treatment was incomplete, as areas covered by the fabric skin were neglected.
Upon inspection of the wreckage, investigators identified a fracture in the vertical stabilizer attachment tubes. These tubes were found to be in an advanced state of corrosion. Furthermore, the investigation noted that the pilot was flying under a Private Pilot license, whereas the specialized aerial service regulations required a Commercial Pilot qualification. The pilot had only completed three hours of adaptation training for banner towing the previous day.
Findings
- Deficient maintenance and inadequate supervision allowed high levels of corrosion to persist in the structural tubes of the vertical stabilizer, leading to the structural failure.
- The pilot's inadequate decision-making regarding safety equipment—specifically flying without safety suspenders—contributed to the severity of the impact injuries.
- The pilot lacked the required commercial qualification and specific experience for this type of specialized mission.
- The aircraft's previous history of seawater submersion contributed to the accelerated degradation of the internal tubular structure.