What happened
On January 28, 2002, a Cessna C-140A, registration PT-AIB, departed from the Sorriso Municipal Airport in Mato Grosso, Brazil, bound for the JPO Aerodrome (SWBZ). During the flight, the pilot performed a low-altitude pass over a soybean plantation followed by an aerial loop maneuver in the western sector of the airfield.
While establishing the final approach for runway 33, the pilot executed a sideslip to lose altitude. During this maneuver, the aircraft's landing gear struck high-voltage power lines belonging to the CEMAT utility network. The impact caused the aircraft to strike the ground approximately 400 meters beyond the runway threshold. The pilot sustained fatal injuries and passed away at a local hospital. The aircraft was destroyed in the accident.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation examined the pilot's background, the aircraft's maintenance status, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation revealed that the pilot, who had learned to fly through self-instruction rather than formal flight school, had a history of performing unauthorized acrobatic maneuvers and low-altitude passes.
Investigators found that the pilot's medical certificate and flight ratings were expired. Furthermore, while the aircraft's maintenance was considered adequate, its logbooks were out of date, and its airworthiness certificate was suspended. The investigation also noted that the power lines involved in the collision lacked any visible markers or warning flags to alert approaching pilots.
Findings
- Human Factors: The pilot exhibited a psychological pattern of invulnerability and exhibitionism, often disregarding flight safety regulations and air traffic rules to seek social recognition through daring maneuvers. There was also a suspicion that the preceding loop maneuver may have caused spatial or geographic disorientation, impairing the pilot's ability to perceive the obstacles.
- Operational Factors: The pilot's judgment was deficient during the final approach, specifically regarding the decision to sideslip at an altitude that was too low. Additionally, the lack of flight planning contributed to the failure to identify the power lines as a hazard.
- Infrastructure: The absence of markers or signaling on the high-voltage wires near the runway threshold significantly contributed to the collision.