What happened
On October 20, 2008, an EMB-202 aircraft, registration PT-USX, was performing agricultural spraying operations over a rice field in Ipané, Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul. During the fourth takeoff of the day, the pilot initiated a left turn to align with the spraying axis. While maneuvering, the pilot identified power lines and increased altitude to clear them. However, during the subsequent descent to the spraying altitude, the aircraft struck a section of the electrical transmission network that featured a bend in the wires.
Following the impact with the wires, the aircraft lost control and struck the ground. The pilot survived the accident uninjured, though the aircraft sustained severe damage to the fuselage, wings, landing gear, engine, and propeller.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation established that the aircraft was in a healthy mechanical state, with the engine producing normal power at the time of the collision. The aircraft was within its approved weight and balance limits, and all maintenance and airworthiness documentation was up to be date. The pilot was fully qualified, held a valid commercial license, and had sufficient experience for the mission.
Investigators determined that the meteorological conditions were favorable for visual flight; however, the flight path (east/west) placed the sun at an angle of approximately 40 degrees to the right of the flight axis. This positioning caused significant sun glare, which impaired the pilot's ability to clearly see the entirety of the power lines. Furthermore, the investigation found that the pilot did not perform a ground reconnaissance of the area prior to the flight, relying instead on knowledge from the previous harvest season.
Findings
- Inadequate flight planning: The pilot failed to conduct a pre-flight ground or aerial reconnaissance of the area, which prevented the identification of all obstacles in the flight path.
- Environmental interference: Sun glare caused by the sun's position relative to the flight axis contributed to the pilot's inability to perceive the power lines.
- Lack of operational supervision: The absence of oversight from a dedicated flight operations department meant there was no secondary review of the risks associated with the specific mission parameters.
- Operational risk: The high-risk nature of low-altitude agricultural flight was exacerbated by the decision to skip obstacle verification.