What happened
On April 27, 2014, a Beechcraft BE 95 B55, registered as RP-C1974, was conducting its third cloud seeding sortie of the day near the boundary of Barangays Santa Luisa and Coloma in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaia. The aircraft, operated by Grand Aviators Aviation Corporation, departed from Cauayan Airport in Isabela with a pilot and three passengers, including specialized technicians for the Department of Agriculture.
While flying at approximately 4,000 feet AGL, the aircraft transitioned from a white cloud formation into dark, grayish clouds. Shortly after entering this cloud layer, witnesses on the ground heard a loud noise and observed the aircraft enter an uncontrolled, spinning nose-dive. Bystanders also noted that portions of the aircraft separated mid-air during the descent. The aircraft ultimately crashed into a cornfield roughly 1.5 kilometers from Runway 27 of Bagabag Airport. The impact resulted in four fatalities, with all occupants dying instantly.
The investigation
The AAIIB investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the in-flight breakup. Investigators examined the aircraft's flight path through the cloud formations and interviewed personnel stationed at Bagabag Airport. The inquiry also reviewed the pilot's qualifications and the crew composition during the cloud seeding mission.
Findings
- The investigation established that the left-hand outer wing separated from the wing assembly after the aircraft penetrated the dark gray cloud formation.
- The primary cause of the accident was identified as material or structural failure.
- A contributing factor was human error related to the pilot's training and qualification standards, specifically noting a lack of formal training for cloud seeding operations.
- The absence of a co-pilot was identified as a contributing factor, as there was no second crew member to assist the pilot-in-command with monitoring aircraft attitude and performance during this critical phase of flight.
Safety action
- The CAAP-FSIS is advised to require all operators performing cloud seeding to use pilots who possess the necessary specialized training and experience.
- Recommendations were made to require a two-person crew, consisting of a pilot and a co-pilot acting as a safety officer, to assist the pilot-in-command during such operations.