Accident Details
On April 13, 2019, at approximately 0840 local time (0040 UTC), an Ayres Thrush S2R-T34 aircraft, registered as RP-R2998, was involved in a wire strike accident near Mawab, Compostela Valley, Philippines. The aircraft was operated by Airtrac Agricultural Corporation under PCAR Part 11 regulations for agricultural application. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
Sequence of Events
The flight departed from Mawab airstrip at about 0835H for a routine agricultural spraying mission. The aircraft was loaded for the pilot's final spray run. Upon arriving at the designated area, the pilot completed the first spray run and then executed a 180-degree left turn to position for the second swath, as indicated on his GPS. During the approach, the pilot reported being dazzled by the sun and subsequently felt a strong impact on the right wing. The aircraft collided with the guy wires of a vertical communication antenna, resulting in loss of control and a subsequent ground impact. The aircraft came to rest with a heading of 270 degrees at coordinates 7.524994 N, 125.938321 E. No post-impact fire was observed. The pilot evacuated with assistance from plantation personnel and suffered a minor injury to his right leg. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Probable Cause
The investigation identified the primary cause as the pilot's failure to identify obstructions along the designated spray area, leading to the wire strike (human factor). Contributory factors included the pilot's complacency in flight planning (human factor).