What happened
On October 4, 2001, a PA-3-220 T Seneca V, registration PT-WSQ, crashed near Luiz Eduardo Magalhães, Bahia, during a passenger transport flight. The aircraft was performing a multi-leg journey that began in Aracaju, involving several intermediate stops at various farms in the region. After departing Taguatinga, Tocantins, the aircraft collided with the ground on its back at Fazenda Ouro Verde, approximately 22 nautical miles from its departure point.
The impact was violent, causing the vertical stabilizer to detach and resulting in the deaths of all five occupants (the pilot and four passengers). The aircraft sustained severe damage and was considered a total loss.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators determined that the engines had stopped prior to impact, as there was no fuel remaining in the tanks or fuel lines, and no traces of spilled fuel were found at the site. While the aircraft's landing gear and flaps were retracted at the time of impact, the propellers were not in the feathered position. This suggests that the pilot may have been preoccupied with attempting to restart the engines rather than performing the necessary feathering procedure to reduce drag.
The investigation also revealed that the pilot had used a road guide for navigation planning instead of aeronautical charts, which likely contributed to inaccuracies in calculating the required fuel for the mission. Furthermore, the pilot failed to follow standard refueling procedures, opting to skip a planned refueling stop in Bom Jesus da Lapa to save time.
Findings
- Fuel Exhaustion: The primary cause of the engine failure was the total depletion of fuel during flight.
- Deficient Planning: The pilot's fuel consumption calculations were inaccurate, failing to account for the higher fuel burn rates associated with multiple takeoffs, landings, and low-altitude maneuvers.
- Regulatory Non-compliance: The pilot departed Taguatinga without the minimum required fuel reserves mandated by RBHA 91 for VFR operations.
- Human Factors: The investigation identified errors in judgment and decision-making, potentially influenced by passenger pressure to proceed quickly without refueling stops. An excess of self-confidence and a lack of attention to fuel monitoring during intermediate legs also contributed to the accident.
- Loss of Control: The aircraft entered a stall due to a loss of airspeed and lift, likely exacerbated by the high drag from unfeathered propellers.