What happened
On March 10, 2018, at approximately 13:35 UTC, a Neiva EMB-202, registration PT-UMR, was performing agricultural spraying operations near Uruçuí, Piauí. The aircraft had departed from an improvised runway at Fazenda Nova Santa Rosa to apply pesticides.
After approximately six minutes of flight, while executing the final spray pass of the mission, the aircraft struck a low-voltage electrical power line. Following the collision, the pilot performed an emergency landing in a cornfield at Fazenda Ouro Verde. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and while the corn crop was also damaged, the pilot emerged uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation by SERIPA II established that the pilot was fully qualified, holding valid medical and agricultural pilot certifications, and possessed approximately 740 total flight hours, including 300 hours in the aircraft type. The aircraft was also in compliance with all airworthiness and weight and balance requirements.
On the day of the accident, the pilot had already completed eight prior spray sorties in the immediate vicinity. Although the pilot had conducted a visual reconnaissance of the area before starting the mission, this was the first time they were operating in this specific region. During interviews, the pilot admitted to a lapse in attention during the flight path execution, which led to the collision with the power lines.