What happened
On July 20, 2016, a Piper PA-36-375, registration EC-EBQ, was performing agricultural spraying operations over a rice plantation near Isla Mayor, Seville. The aircraft had departed from the La Abundancia airstrip to apply fertilizer to several plots of land.
During the flight, the pilot attempted to reposition the aircraft for a new pass. After completing a left turn and initiating a right turn to align with the next furrow, the aircraft's left main landing gear struck an electrical power line. The impact severed the cables and caused significant structural damage to the aircraft, specifically slicing into the leading edge of the left wing. This damage created an immediate lift imbalance, forcing the aircraft into a left-hand spiral dive. Due to the extremely low altitude, the pilot was unable to recover from the descent, and the aircraft impacted the ground in a cereal field.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot was aware of the power lines' location, having flown over them during previous passes earlier that day. The pilot had initially gained altitude to clear the lines, believing they were at a safe height. However, while focusing on the target area for fertilizer application, the pilot failed to maintain adequate clearance during the subsequent maneuvering.
Physical evidence from the wreckage showed that the impact first involved the left main gear. The resulting structural failure of the left wing leading edge was the primary driver of the loss of control. The investigation also noted that the pilot's injuries, including a fractured wrist, ankle, and knee, were likely caused by the physical strain of attempting to recover the aircraft from the spiral dive.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was performing a maneuver at an inadequate altitude, which led to the collision with the electrical lines.
- The impact with the cables caused structural damage to the left wing, inducing a spiral dive.
- The pilot's attention was divided between navigating the aircraft and monitoring the application of fertilizer to the crop.
- The aircraft's landing gear and the wing structure sustained heavy damage, and the impact caused a local power outage lasting over two hours.
- The pilot's survival was aided by the intact cockpit structure and the fact that the aircraft impacted a flooded cereal field, which likely cushioned the landing.