What happened
On July 4, 2012, a Bell 206B Jet Ranger, registration C-GUIK, was performing agricultural spraying near Angusville, Manitoba. The aircraft, operated by Sunrise Helicopters Incorporated, was flying at approximately 15 feet above ground level to apply fungicide to a wheat crop. While flying in a northerly direction toward rising terrain, the helicopter' contacted the crop and subsequently struck the ground. The impact caused the aircraft to flip, resulting in the separation of the main transmission, rotor assembly, and tail section. The pilot sustained serious injuries but was able to exit the wreckage and walk back to a nearby tanker truck.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the operational environment and the pilot's experience level. The aircraft was found to be in a well-maintained condition, with no mechanical malfunctions contributing to the crash. The terrain involved a uniform wheat crop that lacked vertical references, making it difficult to judge altitude. The pilot had recently completed training in forestry spraying, which involved flying at 10 feet above trees; however, this training did not account for the lack of visual contrast found in the agricultural field. Furthermore, the pilot had experienced two previous instances of contacting the crop during the same spraying campaign.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the accident:
- The pilot's low level of experience was insufficient for the high-workload demands of low-level spraying.
- The uniform nature of the wheat field and the absence of vertical landmarks made accurate height judgment difficult.
- The pilot lacked on-site supervision or mentorship during the operation.
- The pilot continued the mission despite having previously struck the crop on two separate occasions.
- A lack of appropriate training for terrain with low visual contrast led to an unrealistic assessment of the time available for mission tasks versus terrain clearance.
Safety action
Following the occurrence, Sunrise Helicopters Incorporated implemented several safety changes, including:
- Requiring a minimum of 2,000 total flight hours for all spray pilots.
- Implementing a formal risk assessment for every contract.
- Establishing a mentorship program where senior pilots supervise junior pilots for the first 50 hours of spraying operations.
- Updating training to include operations at 15 feet above ground level over airport fields.