What happened
On the morning of August 28, 2001, a Piper PA 36-300, registration EC-HKV, was conducting aerial fumigation services over a rice plantation in the municipality of Puebla del Río, Seville. The aircraft was operating from a temporary landing strip established on the farm, which was intersected by several high-voltage power lines.
At approximately 09:15 local time, after completing several passes over the area, the pilot began maneuvering back toward the landing strip. As the aircraft was performing a left turn over two nearly parallel power lines, the left wing struck the second, higher-altitude cable. The impact caused the aircraft to plummet into a flooded rice field, striking the ground with the nose and right wing. The collision resulted in the breakage of one power cable and damage to two nearby metal utility towers.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight sequence, the aircraft's mechanical condition, and the pilot's actions. Investigators noted that the aircraft had successfully overflown the same power lines four or five times earlier that morning without incident. Meteorological data indicated calm winds, unlimited visibility, and a temperature of 25°C, suggesting that thermal turbulence was unlikely to have caused an unexpected loss of altitude.
Technical inspections confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy and had been maintained according to the required schedule. The pilot, a commercial pilot with 1,250 total flight hours and significant experience in the type, was wearing a protective helmet and fire-resistant flight suit at the time of the accident. The investigation also examined the pilot's interview, in which he admitted to being distracted by future tasks during the maneuver.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the collision of the left wing with high-voltage cables during a left-hand turn.
- The pilot failed to maintain sufficient vertical separation from the power lines due to a lack of adequate attention to the immediate flight path while preoccupied with subsequent operational tasks.
- The impact with the terrain caused serious injuries to the pilot, including internal organ contusions that required a six-month recovery period.
- The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the impact caused significant damage to the electrical infrastructure.