What happened
On June 10, 2013, at approximately 11:30 local time, a PZL An-2 aircraft registered YR-PMY and operated by SC Agroavia Company SRL was conducting an avio-chemical mission in the vicinity of Albești Paleologu, Prahova County. The aircraft had previously completed a spraying run and landed on a nearby field to refuel with approximately 1,000 liters of chemical substance before commencing its next sortie.
At 11:25 LT, the engine was started, and the aircraft began its takeoff roll from the working field. During the second phase of the takeoff, shortly after detaching from the ground, the aircraft experienced a stall (clogging). The right wheel of the main landing gear struck a slight bump on the terrain, causing damage to the pyramidal assembly of the landing gear. Despite this impact, the aircraft regained altitude.
Following the flight engineer's report of damage to the landing gear leg, the captain decided to jettison the remaining chemical load and return to the primary working field for landing. The pilot executed a controlled landing with flaps set to 30 degrees at a low speed. The aircraft initially touched down on the left main wheel, maintaining this position until reaching approximately 40 km/h, at which point the right wheel also made contact. This caused the aircraft to pivot to the right before coming to a stop.
Both the pilot and the flight engineer onboard sustained no injuries. There was no fuel leakage or fire. The incident occurred under favorable meteorological conditions, with a light wind of 1-2 m/s from 080 degrees, a temperature of 28°C, and visibility exceeding 10 km.
The investigation
The Civil Aviation Safety Investigation and Analysis Center (CIAS) investigated the serious incident in accordance with Government Ordinance No. 51/1999 and EU Regulation No. 996/2010. The board examined the aircraft's maintenance records, which confirmed it was airworthy and maintained according to applicable regulations. The pilot held a valid Commercial Pilot License (CPL) and medical certificate.
Physical inspection of the wreckage revealed specific damage to the right main landing gear assembly. Non-destructive testing (EDDY CURRENT) confirmed that the surrounding fuselage structure and attachment points remained undamaged, indicating the incident was isolated to the landing gear components. The following parts were found damaged:
- Breakage of the sustaining strut ear in the vertical plane.
- Bending of the sustaining arm in the horizontal plane.
- Damage to the leading edge (landing gear leg protection).
- Breakage of the loading valve for the right landing gear leg.
The investigation analyzed two potential primary causes for the stall: engine power loss and takeoff at insufficient speed. Evidence showed that both crew members reported normal engine parameters during takeoff, and no eyewitnesses observed abnormal engine noises or exhaust flames. Consequently, the board ruled out engine malfunction as a cause.
Findings
The investigation established that the probable cause of the serious incident was an error in flight technique, specifically the inadequate management of the aircraft's takeoff performance given the specific load and temperature conditions at the time. The heavy chemical payload (approximately 1,000 liters) combined with high ambient temperatures likely reduced the margin between the stall speed and the takeoff safety speed. Detaching from the ground at a speed close to the limit resulted in an accentuated stall, leading to the loss of lift and subsequent impact with the terrain.
The board also noted that while the aircraft was certified for agricultural operations, the specific handling during the critical takeoff phase did not account sufficiently for the density altitude effects imposed by the 28°C temperature and full chemical load. The landing field used was compliant with Romanian regulations for non-aerodrome fields.
Safety action
The investigation commission did not issue any formal safety recommendations for this specific incident. However, standard maintenance procedures were followed to replace the damaged strut components, fastening fer, and servicing valve to restore the aircraft to airworthy condition.