Accident Overview
On February 15, 2025, at approximately 11:45 UTC, an Air Tractor AT-502B, registration PS-XEU, took off from an agricultural landing area at Fazenda Fumagalli in Tuneiras do Oeste, Paraná, Brazil. The aircraft was conducting a local flight for the application of agricultural chemicals, with a single pilot on board.
Flight Sequence
About twenty minutes into the flight, after the last application pass, the pilot observed an oscillation in engine power while climbing to return to the landing area. Seconds later, the engine lost all power. The pilot performed an emergency landing in a sugarcane plantation, following the forced landing without power checklist for an aircraft with liquid material in the hopper.
Aircraft and Crew Information
The aircraft, model AT-502B (serial 502B-3247, manufactured 2020), was powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG engine (serial PCE-PH1332) rated at 750 hp. It was operated by CEAL AVIAÇÃO AGRÍCOLA LTDA. in the Public Specialized Aerial Service – Agricultural category. The pilot held a Commercial Pilot – Airplane license with valid ratings for Single-Engine Land and Agricultural Pilot, and a current Aeronautical Medical Certificate. He had accumulated 1,412 hours total flight time, with 802 hours on the accident aircraft model.
Weight and Fuel
The aircraft had an empty weight of 2,164 kg. It was loaded with 476 kg (595 liters) of Aviation Kerosene (QAV-1), 1,500 kg of agricultural product, and a pilot weight of 75 kg, for a total takeoff weight of 4,215 kg. The Pilot's Operating Handbook permitted a maximum takeoff weight of 4,264 kg for agricultural operations, so the aircraft was within limits.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident inspection of the fuel system revealed contamination and obstruction by foreign particles in the lines connecting the wing tanks to the header tank, and subsequently to the electric pump and primary fuel filter. Laboratory analysis of samples from the fuel lines identified the material as compatible with bovine manure. Residual fuel from the primary filter and both wing tanks also contained similar foreign particles.
The aircraft had been parked overnight without supervision or security systems. The operator had purchased 41,000 liters of QAV-1 on February 11, 2025, and several aircraft were fueled from this batch, but only PS-XEU showed signs of contamination.
Outcome
The aircraft sustained substantial damage. There were no injuries to the pilot or any third parties.