Air Tractor AT-802A Firefighting Aircraft Accident in Hualqui, Chile

Incident Overview and Location On February 11, 2023, at 10:30 local time, an Air Tractor AT-802A aircraft was involved in an accident while conducting wildfire suppression operations. The incident occurred in the rural sector of Chamizal Alto, within the commune of Hualqui in Chile's Biobío Region, approximately 18 kilometers southeast of Concepción. The aircraft struck trees in the area before descending to the ground and impacting the slope of a hill at an elevation of 271 meters. The final impact site was recorded at coordinates S 36° 55’ 40.47” / W 72° 57’ 05.23” (noted as Lat. 36° 5’ 40.47” S, Long. 72° 57’ 05.23” W in the site information section). ## Aircraft and Occupant Details The aircraft was an Air Tractor AT-802A, manufactured in 2016, with serial number 802A-0636. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67F engine and equipped with a Hartzell HC-B5MA-3D propeller. The aircraft had 1,166.8 hours of service at the time of the accident. The sole occupant was a 57-year-old Chilean commercial pilot with a valid medical certificate. The pilot had a total of 7,445 flight hours, including 2,228 hours on the specific aircraft type. ## Damage and Maintenance History The aircraft sustained severe damage, including a fuselage severed at the cabin level, a fractured and twisted tail section, and multiple fractures and deformations to the wings, landing gear, and control surfaces. The engine was fractured into three parts, and the propeller cone was fractured and bent, with three of the five blades detached from their roots. Prior to the accident, the aircraft underwent a comprehensive inspection on June 10, 2022, at 1,066.6 hours of service, which included annual, 100, 200, 300, and 400-hour inspections, as well as specific checks on the Firefighting Dispensing Response System (FDRS). On August 28, 2022, the propeller was replaced with an overhauled unit. The aircraft held a Special Certificate of Airworthiness issued by the Chilean Civil Aviation Directorate (DGAC) on September 2, 2022, valid until April 1, 2026. ## Operational and Environmental Conditions The pilot maintained radio contact with air traffic control at Carriel Sur aerodrome (SCIE) and reported no discrepancies with the aircraft prior to the accident. According to witness accounts and local video footage, visibility conditions were optimal for conducting drop operations at the time of the incident. The aircraft was not equipped with flight recorders, as per DAN 137 regulations for aerial work, but a fleet control device provided data on the flight path from Carriel Sur to the impact site.