Accident in Barcelos may have been caused by hydroplaning, USP professor tells CNN

Aeronautical engineer and professor at the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo (Poli-USP) Jorge Leal Medeiros stated this Monday (18), in an interview with CNN that the plane crash in Barcelos (AM) may have been caused by hydroplaning.

As Medeiros explained, the heavy rain that fell on the site when the aircraft landed indicates that a large layer of water may have formed on the runway. In these conditions, the landing gear wheel cannot come into contact with the ground, which means the plane does not slow down and slides down the runway.

“In a situation of heavy rain, what we call hydroplaning normally happens, creating a deep layer of water on the runway and the plane stops touching the tire on the asphalt. He slides through this water and can’t stop,” said the Poli professor.

The engineer also reported that the plane, according to authorities, had landed in the middle of the 1,500 meter runway, which would have made deceleration even more difficult.

“He landed much further,” he declared. “In dry track conditions, perhaps that would have been enough, but apparently it wasn’t.”

Civil Defense indicated that the flight data of the plane that crashed in Barcelos (AM) contains the list of passengers and crew who were on board. There were 12 tourists, in addition to the pilot and co-pilot, identified as Leandro Souza and Fernando Galvão, respectively.

On board:

• EURI PAULO DOS SANTOS (passenger);
• FABIO CAMPOS ASSIS (passenger);
• FABIO RIBEIRO (passenger);
• GILCRESIO SALVADOR MEDEIROS (passenger);
• GUILHERME BOAVENTURA RABELO (passenger);
• HAMILTON ALVES REIS (passenger);
• HEUDES FREITAS (passenger);
• LUIZ CARLOS CAVALCANTE GARCIA (passenger);
• MARCOS DE CASTRO ZICA (passenger);
• RENATO SOUZA DE ASSIS (passenger);
• ROLAND MONTENEGRO COSTA (passenger);
• WITTER FERREIRA DE FARIA (passenger);
• LEANDRO SOUZA (pilot);
• FERNANDO GALVÃO (copilot);

The crash occurred around 3 pm (Brasília time) when the plane was trying to land in the city, which is around 400 km from the state capital, Manaus, where the aircraft departed.

What we know about the accident

• The aircraft’s passengers left Manaus for Barcelos to practice recreational fishing. In an interview with CNN, the mayor of Barcelos, Edson de Paula Rodrigues Mendes, reported that the plane was chartered by a businessman who works in the sport fishing sector in the city.
• The Embraer EMB-110 “Bandeirante” with registration number PT-SOG belonged to the company Manaus Aerotáxi and, according to a consultation on the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) portal, it had permission to operate normally. In a statement, the company regretted the accident and made itself available to the authorities to clarify the episode.
• As the mayor explained, the passengers were friends from Brasília, São Paulo and Minas Gerais, all of whom practiced sport fishing and had been visiting the city for many years. The victims are expected to have their bodies taken to Manaus this Sunday (17).
• “All of them were already used to sport fishing in Barcelos. Some of them have been fishing in the city for almost 20 years”, said Edson Mendes.

See also: Video shows victims of plane that crashed in Barcelos boarding

Video shows victims of plane that crashed in Barcelos boarding | LIVE CNN

Interview produced by Renata Souza