What happened
On September 11, 2001, a PZL M18A Dromader, registration EC-FDN, was performing agricultural spraying operations near Valdepeñas de Jaén, Spain. The aircraft had departed from an airfield in Alcalá la Real to treat an olive grove located on a hillside for olive fly control. The pilot intended to fly the application passes following the contour lines of the slope.
During the maneuver, the pilot encountered an unexpected obstacle: an electrical power line positioned directly in the flight path. Due to the sun's position, which created significant glare, the pilot's visibility of the surrounding environment was compromised. Upon spotting the lines at close range, the pilot applied heavy back pressure on the elevator to climb and simultaneously activated the emergency chemical discharge mechanism to reduce weight. While these actions allowed the aircraft to clear the wires, the sudden loss of airspeed caused the aircraft to enter a stall. The aircraft subsequently descended and struck the terrain.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's maneuvers and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. Investigators established that the pilot's attempt to gain altitude through the elevator resulted in a conversion of kinetic energy into potential energy, leading to a critical loss of airspeed. The investigation also noted that the pilot managed to level the aircraft before the impact, which mitigated the severity of the crash.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a failure to identify the electrical lines during the pre-flight inspection of the treatment area.
- The position of the sun acted as a contributing factor by creating glare that likely prevented the pilot from detecting the obstacle earlier.
- The pilot's emergency recovery maneuver caused the aircraft to enter a stall due to the rapid loss of airspeed.