What happened
On 22 June 2012, an Embraer EMB-500 (Phenom 100), registration PT-TPY, was conducting a demonstration flight from Cape Town International Airport to Lanseria International Airport. While cruising at flight level 410, the aircraft experienced an inflight incident. During the flight, the pilot lost control of the aircraft; however, control was successfully re-established once the aircraft descended to approximately 29,000 feet above ground level. Following the recovery, the aircraft proceeded to its intended destination and landed without further incident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight parameters during the period when the aircraft was at its cruising altitude. There were five people on board the aircraft during the event. While the aircraft landed safely, one passenger—an Embraer pilot seated in the cabin—sustained minor injuries to the wrist and knee. The remaining occupants were uninjured upon arrival.
Findings
The investigation established that the primary cause of the loss of control was that the aircraft was flown beyond the edge of its operational cruise envelope.