What happened
On October 3, 2012, at approximately 11:00 UTC, a Piper PA-25-260, registration PT-DOX, was performing agricultural spraying operations near Miracatú, São Paulo. The aircraft had departed from a landing strip at Fazenda Bananal to apply pesticides to a banana plantation.
During the application process, the aircraft flew on a trajectory perpendicular to a high-voltage power line. The left landing gear struck the wires, causing a rebound effect that deflected the aircraft to the right. Following the collision, the aircraft struck the ground near the shoulder of the Régis Bittencourt Highway (BR-116) and was consumed by fire. The impact resulted in the fatal injury of the pilot and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators established that the pilot was an experienced professional with valid commercial and agricultural licenses. While the pilot's digital flight logs showed 390 hours, employment records indicated he had been operating in this capacity since 2000.
The investigation focused on the lack of pre-flight reconnaissance of the area, which would have identified the presence of the electrical infrastructure. Furthermore, investigators found that the operator, Aeroagrícola Caiçara Ltda., failed to provide adequate support materials, such as maps, flight planning documents, or risk gradients, to the pilot. While the aircraft's airworthiness certificate was valid and the weight and balance were within limits, the maintenance logs for the cell, engine, and propeller were found to be outdated.
Findings
- Lack of flight planning: The absence of maps or obstacle plotting meant the pilot was unaware of the specific location of the high-voltage lines.
- Inadequate management supervision: The company failed to provide necessary operational support and risk management documentation.
- Pilot judgment and perception: The pilot's chosen flight path increased the risk of collision, and the lack of a prior reconnaissance flight hindered the identification of the obstacle.
- Incomplete support systems: There was a lack of administrative oversight regarding the provision of safety-critical information for the mission.
Safety action
Following the investigation, recommendations were issued to the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) regarding the operator, Aeroagrícola Caiçara Ltda. The recommendations focused on evaluating the adequacy of the company's Safety Management System (SMS), specifically regarding risk management in agricultural spraying, improving maintenance record-keeping, and enhancing flight planning and managerial supervision.