Piper PA-36-375 EC-FBK Collision with High-Voltage Cables at Utrera

Incident Overview and Location On Friday, October 5, 2001, at approximately 09:30, a single-engine Piper PA-36-375 with registration EC-FBK was destroyed after colliding with high-voltage power lines near Utrera, in the province of Seville, Spain. The aircraft was operated by Tratamientos Aéreos Manuel Romero, S. L., and was engaged in commercial aerial work, specifically crop fumigation, at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft and Crew Details The aircraft, manufactured in 1978, was powered by a single Lycoming IO-720-D1CD engine and equipped with a Hartzell HC-C3YR-1RF propeller. Its airworthiness certificate was valid until May 21, 2002, and it had been last inspected on May 22, 2001. The pilot in command was a 46-year-old Spanish national holding a commercial pilot license. He had a total of 9,500 flight hours, with 9,000 hours on the aircraft type. ## Sequence of Events According to the investigation, the pilot was performing the final pass of a fumigation operation over a field crossed by a high-voltage line. To position the aircraft, the pilot flew beneath the power lines and initiated a right turn to return over the field. During this turn, the aircraft climbed slightly. The pilot reportedly did not realize the altitude gain and, upon nearing the completion of the turn, encountered the cables head-on. The aircraft struck the lines, severing two of them, and subsequently crashed into the ground, coming to rest inverted. ## Damage and Survival The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. The right wing sustained significant damage, with a power cable wrapped around its outer section, while the left wing was folded inward, likely due to ground contact. The engine was displaced from its mount, and two of the three propeller blades were embedded in the ground. Despite the severity of the crash, the cockpit compartment remained largely intact, allowing the pilot to exit the wreckage under his own power without sustaining any injuries. ## Probable Cause The investigation concluded that the probable cause of the accident was the pilot's lack of concentration. This inattention prevented him from noticing the slight climb during a tight turn, leading to the collision with the high-voltage cables.