Incident Overview
On Friday, September 2, 2011, at approximately 09:50 local time, an Air Tractor AT-802 with registration EC-KSY crashed in the municipality of Arenas del Rey, Granada province, Spain. The aircraft was operated by Saeta and was engaged in commercial aerial firefighting operations. The pilot-in-command, a 48-year-old commercial pilot with 6,700 total flight hours and 3,000 hours on type, sustained minor injuries. No other persons were injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Flight Details and Sequence of Events
The aircraft departed from the Resinera base in Granada at 09:45 local time to combat a fire located approximately 8 km north, near the Bermejales reservoir. During a descent pass over the fire zone at an altitude of roughly 3,500 feet and a speed of 130 knots, the aircraft struck high-voltage power lines belonging to the Bermejales-Cortijo Vaquería y Aguas Loma line. One of these cables had previously detached and caused the initial fire.
The pilot reported that weather conditions were good and that he had conducted a reconnaissance flight to check for obstructions but did not see any power lines. During the discharge pass, his attention was focused on the flames. Upon contact with the cables, they became entangled in the propeller and the right side of the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot attempted to maneuver away from nearby buildings but lost control due to damage to the propeller assembly and a loss of pitch control authority. The aircraft impacted the ground, resulting in a post-impact fire that burned the cockpit and right fuselage.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident inspection revealed that the propeller had detached, with one blade severed and others deformed. A power cable was found wrapped around the propeller cone and extending to the right horizontal stabilizer. The investigation concluded that the accident resulted from the collision with the power lines, which were located very close to the fire source. The pilot’s attention was likely diverted by the flames, preventing him from detecting the overhead obstruction despite prior familiarity with the area.