What happened
On December 5, 1995, an EMB-720 C, registration PT-EAS, departed from an unregistered, clandestine airstrip in Laranjal do Jari, Pará, bound for another unregulated mining airstrip known as 13 de Maio, also in Pará. According to witness reports, the aircraft never arrived at its destination. Following the disappearance, search operations were conducted by SALVAERO between December 7 and December 25, 1995. Despite these efforts, the aircraft and its occupants were not located, and the aircraft was officially declared missing.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the regulatory and operational status of the flight, as the wreckage could not be recovered. The investigation revealed significant regulatory non-compliance regarding both the aircraft and the pilot. The aircraft's airworthiness certificate was suspended, and its last annual maintenance inspection had expired in November 1992. Furthermore, evidence suggested that maintenance was being performed at mining sites by unqualified personnel.
Regarding the pilot, the investigation found that the pilot's technical qualification certificate and medical certificate were both expired. Additionally, there were no official flight hour records available through the DAC, making it impossible to verify the pilot's experience or proficiency for the mission. The flight was conducted using only clandestine, unhomologated airstrips.
Findings
- Flight indiscipline was a primary contributing factor, as the aircraft owner permitted operations with a suspended airworthiness certificate and expired maintenance inspections, while the pilot operated with expired licenses and utilized unregistered airstrips.
- The aircraft was operating with an expired annual maintenance inspection and a suspended airworthiness certificate.
- Maintenance performed on the aircraft was considered inadequate and carried out by unauthorized individuals.
- The pilot's technical and medical certifications were both invalid at the time of the flight.
Safety action
- Local aviation authorities (SERAC 1 and 7) were directed to organize lectures for regional operators and pilots to emphasize the importance of maintaining annual maintenance inspections and the legal consequences of flying with expired certifications.
- SERAC 1 was tasked with conducting a flight safety inspection of Burguinha Táxi Aéreo to identify potential hazards within the company's operations.