Brazilian military transport plane crashes, free-falls more than 5,000 m

A Brazilian KC-390 transport plane crashed during testing, and the pilot was only able to save the plane when it was 300 meters above the ground.

KC-390 prototype crashes. Photo: Jet Photos

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer said it was suspending all flights of its KC-390 transport prototype after an incident during testing in mid-last month, when the plane was pushed beyond its normal operating limits. However, an unnamed engineer on the KC-390 project confirmed that the reality was much more serious, as the plane almost plummeted to the ground after falling more than 5,000 meters, Aviationist reported on November 9.

October 12, prototypeKC-390The aircraft, codenamed PT-ZNF, was conducting pre-stall tests, which involved pushing the nose up to increase the angle of attack and simulate wing icing. During the maneuver, a test rig broke free from its mounting and rolled toward the tail of the aircraft, causing an unexpected shift in center of gravity. As a result, the pilot lost control of the KC-390, causing it to stall, begin spinning, and plummet to the ground.

Data from the KC-390’s transponder showed it plummeting from 20,000 feet to nearly 3,000 feet in just three minutes, including a period of blackout as the plane was below radar detection range. A source said the pilot regained control less than 1,000 feet above the ground, then regained altitude and returned safely to the airport.

Interrupted signal (red frame) as the KC-390 falls below 1,000 m. Photo: FR24

The Embraer KC-390 is a twin-engine medium-lift military transport aircraft capable of carrying up to 26 tons of cargo, troops or wheeled armored vehicles. The PT-ZNF is the first prototype of the KC-390 project, which first flew in 2015. Embraer plans to introduce the KC-390 into service with the Brazilian Air Force next year.

According to VNE