What happened
On February 10, 1994, an EMB 810C Sêneca, registration PT-EBL, operated by Heliranger Aerotáxi Ltda., departed Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro, bound for Campo de Marte in São Paulo. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot experienced significant abnormalities in the flight controls, specifically regarding pitch control.
Attempting to return to the airport, the pilot found it impossible to maintain flight and was unable to reach the runway. The pilot executed an emergency ditching in the sea within the Guanabara Bay. The aircraft struck the water at a 45-degree nose-down attitude with level wings, resulting in the total destruction of the airframe. While the pilot sustained minor injuries and managed to abandon the aircraft, the two passengers perished in the accident.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators were unable to perform physical tests on the wreckage because the debris sank into the depths of Guanabably Bay and could not be recovered. However, the investigation established a timeline of recent maintenance activities. In late December 1993, the aircraft had sustained damage to the left side of the horizontal stabilizer during a ground incident.
Furthermore, just days prior to the accident, an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) had been installed in the tail cone, an area near the stabilizer and rudder control systems. The pilot had reported feeling strange aircraft behavior following these maintenance services, though no formal reports had been filed. The investigation also noted that the pilot had not conducted an emergency evacuation briefing for the passengers prior to departure.
Findings
- The pilot experienced a loss of pitch control, likely due to a malfunction in the elevator command system.
- Recent maintenance involving the installation of an ELT in a difficult-to-access area near the control cables may have caused the cables to jam or become damaged.
- Deficient maintenance regarding the adequacy of recent corrective services was identified as a potential contributing factor.
- The lack of an emergency briefing for passengers may have hindered the ability to evacuate the aircraft, although the structural collapse of the airframe upon impact made survival unlikely for the passengers.