Bell 206B EC-GNQ Agricultural Spraying Accident in Almería

Flight and Accident Description On 27 December 2004, a Bell 206B helicopter, registration EC-GNQ, operated by Rotorsun, S. L., departed from a base located 12 nautical miles from the target field to conduct aerial agricultural spraying. The pilot reported optimal weather conditions. The field was flat and cultivated with lettuce, and the operation involved crossing an electrical power line with approximately 150 m between poles. During the second pass of the morning, as the helicopter approached the power line, it descended and made contact with the ground. Ground marks indicated that the left skid contacted first, followed by the right skid, after which the aircraft immediately rolled over and came to rest on its left side. The pilot was uninjured and evacuated the aircraft independently. The helicopter was destroyed by the impact and could not be recovered. ## Crew and Aircraft Information The pilot-in-command was 42 years old and held a commercial helicopter pilot licence, with 2,668 total flight hours and 1,016 hours on type. On the day of the accident, the pilot had returned to duty after a ten-day rest period and was familiar with the field from previous operations. The aircraft was equipped with a restricted special airworthiness certificate for aerial work and a spraying system installed in accordance with a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supplemental type certificate, number SH848NW. ## Wreckage and Impact Evidence The first ground contact was made by the left skid, which left a straight mark across the crop rows before deviating to the left. The right skid mark appeared at the end of the trajectory. Both skid marks ended with the forward ends of the skids embedded in the ground, with a total length of approximately 20 m. Following the loss of the skid ends, the helicopter rolled over immediately. The left spraying boom was found pointing rearward, while the right boom pointed forward. Main rotor blades severed the tail cone, and parts of the turbine and engine accessories were separated and found at some distance from the main wreckage. The angle between the aircraft's flight path before the accident and the power line was approximately 50°. ## Pilot Statement The pilot stated that the aircraft carried 300 litres of spray product and 20 U.S. gallons (75 litres) of fuel. Passes over the field were conducted at approximately 40 knots and 1.5 m above the ground. To cross the power line, the pilot descended to 1 m above the ground. The crossing occurred near the point of lowest catenary height, at the midpoint of the span between supports, which the pilot believed may have drawn more attention to the line than to the separation from the ground.