What happened
On August 5, 2001, two Canadair CL-215 amphibious aircraft, registered as EC-HEU and EC-HET, were engaged in aerial firefighting operations near Segura, Portugal. The aircraft, operated by ATA, were tasked with extinguishing a forest fire by performing water scooping maneuvers at the Marechal Carmona Dam.
At approximately 16:28 local time, the aircraft EC-HET was following the first aircraft (EC-HEU) on a low-level approach to the reservoir. During this descent, the aircraft struck a 30 kV medium-voltage power line that was positioned nearly perpendicular to the aircraft's flight path. The impact severed the electrical cables, which subsequently struck the ground, creating sparks that ignited a forest fire in a nearby eucalyptus grove, destroying an estimated 100 hectares of land.
The crew of EC-HET immediately aborted the water scooping procedure and returned to their base in Seia to assess the damage. While the aircraft sustained minor damage to the nose and engine area, maintenance technicians determined it remained airworthy, and the aircraft later returned to service to continue firefighting efforts.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation revealed that the power line lacked the required daytime obstacle marking. Although the local utility provider (EDP) believed such marking was unnecessary because the line was not near a recognized aerodrome, the reservoir effectively functioned as a water runway for the scooping operations. The investigation found that the aircraft's crew could not see the wires due to the sun's position, which was directly in front of them and reflecting off the water's surface. Furthermore, the operator's guidance for scooping in Portugal was found to be outdated and lacked current information regarding obstacles within the reservoir.
Findings
- The crew's recognition of the terrain was deficient during the approach.
- The power line lacked required daytime obstacle lighting or marking.
- Sunlight reflecting off the water surface obscured the visibility of the wires.
- The operator provided the crew with inadequate and outdated information regarding obstacles at the specific reservoir location.