What happened
On March 22, 1996, an Embraer EMB 720D, registration PT-VMO, was performing a flight from Brumado to Macaúbas, Bahia. While flying at a very low altitude near a highway interchange, the aircraft struck high-voltage power lines positioned approximately 20 meters above the ground. The impact caused a short circuit, ignited a fire, and severed the transmission lines. The aircraft became entangled in the cables and subsequently struck the ground in a wooded area, where the ensuing fire, fueled by ruptured fuel tanks, consumed the entire airframe. The two occupants (the pilot and one passenger) sustained fatal injuries at the scene.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators established that the aircraft was being operated well below the minimum safety altitude required for visual flight rules (VFR). Witnesses observed the aircraft flying at low altitudes throughout the route. The investigation also noted that the power lines lacked standard orange visibility markers, which are intended to alert pilots to the presence of high-voltage cables. Furthermore, the investigation examined the pilot's recent flight behavior, noting reports of low-altitude maneuvers over populated areas, and the lack of corrective oversight from the aircraft owner regarding these practices.
Findings
- Low-altitude flight: The flight was conducted below the minimum safety altitude prescribed for the route.
- Psychological factors: A relaxed atmosphere in the cockpit, caused by the presence of the pilot's brother, likely led to a loss of focus and prevented the pilot from detecting the obstacle in time.
- Flight indiscipline: The pilot engaged in risky maneuvers, including flying low over people and vehicles.
- Lack of supervision: The aircraft owner was aware of the pilot's habit of performing low-altitude maneuvers over urban areas but failed to implement corrective measures.
- Lack of infrastructure signaling: The electrical network lacked the necessary orange spheres to increase visibility for pilots.