What happened
On February 23, 1995, a Piper C-210, registration PT-LBA, was operating in Porecatu, Paraná, for the purpose of cleaning its hopper and spray lines with water. The flight began after the pilot landed in Porecatu following a brief flight where he had distributed flowers over the city to celebrate the birth of his child. Following the landing, the pilot invited the aircraft owner to occupy the front seat for an unplanned flight intended as flight instruction.
During this second flight, the aircraft flew at low altitudes over a farm to release the water stored in the hopper. While performing a low-altitude maneuver, the aircraft entered a stall and struck the ground at a 9/0-degree angle approximately 1,000 meters from the runway threshold. The impact was followed by an explosion, resulting in two fatalities (the pilot and the passenger) and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the operational and human factors surrounding the accident. Investigators examined the aircraft's weight and balance, noting that the center of gravity was at 25%, which was 10% above the permissible limit of 15%. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's credentials, finding that his flight instructor rating and medical certificate were both expired.
Physical examination of the wreckage was limited due to the intensity of the fire, but investigators noted the aircraft's fuel tanks contained 88 liters of remaining fuel. The investigation also looked into the psychological state of the crew, noting the lack of flight planning and the presence of an untrained passenger in a configuration intended only for a single pilot during agricultural operations.