What happened
On May 25, 2014, an Air Tractor AT-802, registration EC-LCA, was engaged in firefighting operations near Serón, Almería. The aircraft, operated by SAETA S.L., had been active throughout the morning responding to various fires caused by recent thunderstorms.
During the afternoon, the pilot was tasked with locating a fire in the Serón area. After several unsuccessful attempts to pinpoint the exact location of the fire, the pilot was instructed by ground personnel to abort the mission and return to base. However, the pilot returned to the area in an attempt to locate the target. While flying low between mountains and near a hillside, the aircraft performed an unexpected water drop. During this maneuver, the aircraft executed a sharp right turn and banked so aggressively that it reached an inverted position, leading to a direct impact with the terrain. The impact caused a fire that completely destroyed the aircraft. The pilot was killed in the accident.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined the wreckage, flight records, and eyewitness accounts. Investigators confirmed that the aircraft was in good mechanical condition with a valid certificate of airverworthiness and that the pilot was fully qualified with a valid commercial license and medical certificate.
Analysis of the wreckage showed that the aircraft maintained its original in-flight heading upon impact and that all control cables, including the engine and rudder controls, were intact. Eyewitnesses from the firefighting brigade observed the aircraft attempting to locate the fire multiple times and noted the sudden, extreme banking maneuver during the water release. The investigation also reviewed the aerodynamic complexities of the AT-802 during a drop, noting that the sudden shift in center of gravity and the release of weight can cause significant pitch and roll changes.
Findings
- The pilot was highly motivated to locate the fire, which led to a loss of situational awareness regarding the aircraft's proximity to the terrain.
- The pilot's primary focus shifted from safe flight operations to the mission objective of finding the fire.
- The aircraft was operating at a low altitude in complex, mountainous terrain.
- The evasive maneuver performed in response to the approaching hillside, combined with the sudden change in aircraft weight during the water drop, created an unmanageable flight condition.
- The sudden increase in lift and the aerodynamic effects of the engine torque and gyroscopic forces during the turn contributed to the aircraft's descent into the terrain.