What happened
On March 2, 2012, a Cessna A188B, registration PR-STO, was performing a low-altitude agricultural flight to apply pesticides to a manioc plantation near Querência do Norte, Paraná. While executing a low pass, the aircraft's vertical stabilizer struck electric wires located approximately 6 meters above the ground. The impact caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft, leading to a crash into the terrain. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact. Although the pilot was rescued and transported to a hospital, he passed away two days later due to injuries sustained in the accident.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and determined that the engine was producing power at the time of the collision, as evidenced by the deformation of the propeller blades. Mechanical failure or control jamming was ruled out as a cause. The investigation considered two primary hypotheses: that the pilot may have intentionally attempted to fly beneath the wires—a maneuver reportedly common in the region—and miscalculated the terrain's upward slope, or that the pilot failed to perceive the wires due to environmental factors. Investigators noted that the aircraft was flying with the sun directly ahead, which could have impacted visibility.
Findings
- Visual illusions or degraded visual perception caused by the sun's position relative to the pilot.
- Piloting judgment errors, specifically regarding the decision to maneuver beneath obstacles or misjudging the clearance required for such a maneuver.
- Potential flight planning deficiencies regarding obstacle avoidance.
- The presence of electric wires at a low altitude (6 meters) within the flight path.