What happened
On July 13, 2000, at approximately 11:45 local time, an Aerospatiale SE-3130 Alouette II, registration F-GIVU, was engaged in agricultural spraying operations over rice fields in the Ebro Delta region. After completing its spraying tasks, the helicopter was en route to a provisional base located near the L’Ampolla road, specifically at the Romen estate in the municipality of Deltebre.
During this transit, the aircraft struck overhead electrical cables. The impact caused the helicopter to plummet to the ground near kilometer 2,800 of the T-3400 road, within the municipality of Camarles, Tarragona. The collision resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. The pilot sustained multiple contusions, though injuries were classified as not serious.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight path and the circumstances surrounding the contact with the power lines. The aircraft was performing commercial aerial application services at the time of the accident. Investigators examined the sequence of events leading from the completion of the spraying mission to the moment of impact with the electrical infrastructure.