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Type: Embraer KC-390
Owner/operator: Embraer
Registration: PT-ZNF
C/n / msn: 39000001
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Unknown
Category: Serious incident
Location: near Itápolis, SP - Brazil
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature: Test
Departure airport: Gavião Peixoto-Embraer Unidade Gavião Peixoto Airport, SP (SBGP)
Destination airport: Gavião Peixoto-Embraer Unidade Gavião Peixoto Airport, SP (SBGP)

Narrative:
The Embraer KC-390 prototype, PT-ZNF, was involved in a loss of control incident during a test flight out of Gavião Peixoto-Embraer Unidade Gavião Peixoto Airport in Brazil.

Embraer reported that the aircraft was engaged in "in-flight tests for stall situations, which result in aircraft altitude loss due to the decrease in lift force as part of the certification testing campaign. Due to the manoeuvers performed and following established protocols, the crew requested an early return to the base, landing normally at the company's aerodrome in Gavião Peixoto (SP) where the test campaign is carried out."

ADS-B data from Flightradar24 suggest the flight took off at 12:31 UTC. It performed several test flight patterns at an altitude around 20.000 feet. At 13:25 the aircraft suddenly lost altitude. The data point at 13:24:55 shows the aircraft at 20375 feet. At 13:26:04 this had decreased to 11375 feet. The following ADS-B data point at 13:28:05 shows the aircraft at an altitude of 3175 feet. A safe landing was carried out at 13:43 UTC.

An unnamed engineer involved in the KC-390 project stated to Brazilian Aero Magazine that part of the test measuring equipment in the main cabin came loose, sliding to the rear of the cabin. This would have caused a shift in the aircraft's centre of gravity at a critical phase of flight.

Embraer did not confirm this and stated that the cause of the loss of altitude is still under investigation

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