Brazilian investigators are probing an apparent fuel-exhaustion incident involving an ATR 72-200 which suffered power loss in both engines as it landed at Itaituba.
The aircraft had been operated by regional carrier MAP Linhas Aereas on a service from Itaituba to the airline’s base at Manaus on 16 September.
French investigation authority BEA, citing its Brazilian counterpart, says the ATR had to return to Itaituba owing to an incident at Manaus involving a Cessna 208, from an air taxi service, which left the airport “inoperative”.
While the ATR was on final approach it suffered a failure in its left-hand Pratt & Whitney Canada PW124 engine.
BEA adds that, after landing, the aircraft also experienced a failure of its right-hand engine during taxiing.
“The right engine was restarted and the aircraft proceeded to the [parking stand],” it states.
While the circumstances of the incident have yet to be fully determined, BEA states that it has been categorised as an “out of fuel” event.
Manaus lies about 250nm to the west of Itaituba. The inquiry has neither specified when the turn back to the point of departure occurred, nor the fuel quantities on board during departure or arrival.
None of the 39 passengers and four crew members was injured.
Investigators have identified the aircraft as PR-MPY, a 1998 airframe originally delivered to KLM Cityhopper UK and subsequently operated by Vietnam Airlines and Azul, according to Cirium fleets data.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
