Occurrence
On May 10, 2008, at approximately 17:30 local time (14:30 UTC), an Antonov AN-2 aircraft registered YR-PBL, operated by Victor Avia SRL, was conducting aerial chemical treatment flights in Ulmeni, Călărași County, Romania. The aircraft was crewed by a pilot and a ground mechanic. Over the course of the day, the aircraft performed 12 flights totaling about 3.5 hours. After the last refueling, the aircraft made three passes over the working area. On the final pass, to align with the work direction, the pilot maneuvered to cross a high-voltage line (110 kV) near the field.
According to a witness, as the aircraft crossed the line while banked to the right, a loud bang was heard, followed by a fire in the rear of the aircraft. The aircraft then descended steeply and impacted the ground in a rough, flattened touchdown. The wreckage scattered over a radius of approximately 35 meters. The fuselage and fuel tanks ruptured, and the remaining fuel intensified a fire that completely destroyed the aircraft.
Aircraft Information
The Antonov AN-2 (PZL AN-2R version) was built in 1982 with serial number 1GT19636. It was maintained according to the operator's approved program, with its last major inspection completed on April 16, 2008, at 8,146 operating hours and 940 cycles. The aircraft had a fiberglass hopper of 1,350 liters and could be equipped with spraying or spreading systems.
Operational Information
The flight activity was conducted under a contract between Victor Avia SRL and the Ulmeni Agricultural Society. The aircraft's Flight Manual required a crew of at least two persons—either two pilots, a pilot and a navigator, or a pilot and a flight engineer—for agricultural flights. The manual specified that one crew member should focus on piloting while the other operates the sprayer. On the accident flight, the crew consisted of a pilot and a ground mechanic. The investigation could not determine who decided to conduct the flight with non-compliant crew.
The pilot held a valid CPL(A) license and medical certificate, with 4,252:55 total flight hours (4,205:23 on AN-2) as of end of 2007. The ground mechanic held an aircraft maintenance license but no documentation was found certifying him as a flight engineer.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsy of the passenger determined death was due to traumatic and hemorrhagic shock from cranio-thoraco-abdominal and limb polytrauma. The pilot sustained multiple trauma, fractures, sprains, and serious craniocerebral trauma, requiring lengthy hospitalization and multiple surgeries; he partially recovered but never flew again. Toxicology tests for alcohol were negative for both.
Analysis
The investigation found that the pilot performed an aerial chemical flight at low altitude near high-voltage lines, requiring a crossing maneuver. Weather was adequate after morning rain. The crossing maneuver resulted in a bang and fire, followed by a steep descent and impact. The investigation could not determine the exact sequence of events due to the pilot's amnesia and lack of flight documentation.