What happened
On December 10, 1998, at approximately 10:30 AM, an EMB-200A aircraft, registration PT-GEH, was performing agricultural spraying operations over a soybean plantation at Fazenda Barcelona, near Barreiras, Bahia. The mission involved covering 500 hectares of crops, with a requirement to finish the task before 11:00 AM to avoid rising temperatures and shifting winds.
The aircraft was executing North/South passes using left-hand turns. During a reversal maneuver (known as a "balão" turn) near a construction site, the aircraft entered an abnormal and aggressive attitude. The aircraft struck the ground with significant force, causing the engine mount to fail and the engine to separate from the fuselage. The pilot sustained fatal injuries during the transport to the hospital.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and interviewed witnesses, including ground personnel. The investigation found that the aircraft's maintenance records were up to date, and no mechanical failures or system malfunctions were identified as contributing to the crash. The weather conditions were reported as clear with no cloud cover.
Investigators focused on the flight parameters during the critical reversal phase. Witnesses, including workers at a nearby granary, noted that the pilot often performed steep, aggressive turns over the construction site, where workers would wave to him. The investigation also looked into the pilot's experience level and the operator's hiring practices.
Findings
- Loss of control during a critical maneuver: The aircraft was in a high-risk phase of flight (the reversal turn) where it was operating near the limits of lift and airspeed.
- Inadequate flight parameters: The pilot likely applied excessive bank angle during the turn, leading to a loss of lift and a potential stall that could not be recovered due to the low altitude of the operation.
- Operational pressure: The need to complete the 500-hectare mission before the midday heat may have prompted the pilot to use more aggressive maneuvers to shorten the flight path.
- Human factors: The pilot's psychological profile suggested a tendency toward high-risk or "exhibitionist" behavior, potentially exacerbated by the presence of ground observers waving to him.
- Deficient personnel selection: The operator, LAERO Aviação Agrícola Ltda, utilized an informal hiring process that failed to verify the pilot's professional background or maturity for this specific type of high-risk operation.
- Lack of experience: The pilot had relatively limited experience (approximately 150 hours) in this specific type of agricultural operation.