What happened
On August 18, 1995, an EMB 710C aircraft, registration PT-NLF, departed from Juara, Mato Grosso, for a short 15-minute flight to Fazenda Vale Rico under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The flight involved two occupants. Upon arriving at the destination, the aircraft performed two passes over the landing strip before entering the final approach. During this phase, the engine ceased operation.
Unable to reach the runway, the pilot attempted a forced landing in an open field. During the descent, the aircraft struck a tree stump approximately 0.80 meters high, which was partially obscured by vegetation. The impact caused a sudden deceleration and the total destruction of the aircraft. The pilot was killed in the crash, while the passenger sustained serious injuries after being ejected from the aircraft because they were not wearing a seatbelt.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and the operational circumstances of the flight. The investigation revealed that the fuel selector was set to the right fuel tank, which was empty, while 70 liters of fuel remained in the left tank. The propeller damage indicated that the engine was not producing power at the time of impact.
Investigators also reviewed the pilot's credentials and found that both his medical certificate and his pilot certificate (CHT) had expired. Furthermore, the investigation noted that the aircraft's weight and balance were inadequate due to the uneven fuel distribution between the wings. The passenger, who was also a qualified pilot, took control of the aircraft during the emergency after the engine failed.
Findings
- The engine failed during final approach due to fuel exhaustion in the active tank.
- The pilot failed to switch fuel tanks, leaving usable fuel in the left tank unused.
- The pilot did not perform the necessary in-flight engine restart procedures or prepare the aircraft for a forced landing.
- The aircraft struck ground obstacles (a tree stump) during the landing attempt.
- The aircraft owner provided inadequate supervision by allowing an individual with expired certifications to operate the aircraft.
- There was a lack of proper mission planning regarding fuel requirements.