What happened
On August 8, 1998, at approximately 08:30, a PA 18-150 aircraft, registration PT-OYT, was performing agricultural spraying operations over a bean plantation at Fazenda Salvacape, near Nova Glória, Goiás. During the fifth right-hand reversal turn, the engine ceased operation, causing the pilot to lose control of the aircraft. The aircraft struck the ground at a 45-degree nose-down angle with the right wing low. The impact triggered a post-crash fire that consumed the majority of the airframe. The pilot survived the impact but sustained second and third-degree burns to the face and right hand.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators determined that the engine failure was caused by the exhaustion of fuel in the left tank. The investigation revealed that the pilot had been operating without returning to Goiânia to refuel, resulting in partially filled tanks. To avoid a perceived risk of engine stoppage, the pilot had been exclusively using the left tank and had not been switching the fuel selector. Furthermore, the pilot failed to monitor the fuel quantity via the cockpit gauges.
Analysis of the wreckage showed that the propeller blade was bent backward, confirming a lack of engine power at the moment of impact. While the right wing contained fuel, the primary cause of the loss of control was the engine failure during a low-altitude, low-speed maneuver. The investigation also noted that the pilot became distracted by the engine failure, failing to prioritize leveling the wings to maintain separation from the vegetation.
Findings
- Fuel exhaustion in the left tank due to the failure to switch fuel tanks or monitor fuel gauges.
- Improper operational procedures, specifically the pilot's decision to avoid switching the fuel selector due to incorrect training/beliefs regarding the safety of the procedure.
- Inadequate flight planning regarding fuel management for the mission.
- Pilot distraction and loss of situational awareness during the engine failure, which led to the right wing striking the vegetation before the final impact.
- Deficient training regarding the use of fuel selectors, wing balance, and monitoring of fuel levels.