Piper PA36-375 EC-EYO Agricultural Spraying Accident in Puerta del Segura

Incident Overview and Context On 27 September 2005, a Piper PA36-375 aircraft, registration EC-EYO, operated by a private owner, crashed while conducting commercial agricultural spraying operations in the Sierra de Segura region of Jaén, Spain. The accident occurred at approximately 10:30 local time in Puerta del Segura. The pilot, who had arrived the previous day to treat olive groves against the olive fruit fly, was killed in the impact, and the aircraft was destroyed without a post-impact fire. ## Operational Sequence and Flight Details The pilot had completed two prior flights that morning: a short technical check over the Beas airfield and a 30-minute working flight carrying 500 liters of spray mixture. After refilling the tank, the pilot initiated a third flight, choosing a different, western valley route to the treatment area. Approximately ten minutes into this flight, the aircraft entered the valley at an abnormally low altitude. At the valley's end, the pilot executed a right turn followed by a left turn, after which the aircraft impacted the ground. ## Aircraft, Pilot, and Environmental Factors The aircraft had 1,522 hours of total flight time and a valid airworthiness certificate. The pilot held a commercial pilot license with single-engine land and visual flight rules ratings, and had obtained an agroforestry pilot qualification in June 2005. He had recently been contracted for the work and had completed 22 hours of training and 29.5 hours of rice spraying flights in the preceding weeks. Meteorological conditions at the time were favorable, with good visibility, light winds, and clear or partly cloudy skies. ## Investigation Findings and Probable Cause The wreckage was concentrated at the impact site, with the nose and engine heavily compressed and the aircraft in a near-vertical position. The throttle was found less than a quarter of its travel, and the propeller pitch control was fully back. The safety belt was broken, and the wings and tail remained largely intact. The investigation concluded that the probable causes of the accident were the pilot's lack of flight planning and an inadequate assessment of the terrain characteristics.