What happened
On the day of the accident, the aircraft arrived at the Kozlovce airstrip at approximately 09:00. Following a handover from a technician, the aircraft was refueled with 400 liters of gasoline and subsequently loaded with 1,350 liters of herbicide at a chemical charging station. The initial flight of the day commenced at 09:15. Throughout the day's operations, the aircraft underwent several refueling stops, including 200-liter additions after the fourth and tenth flights.
During the twelfth flight, the crew was operating without a co-pilot. Additionally, two unauthorized individuals were permitted to board the aircraft by the commander. One passenger, an 11-year-old boy, occupied the right-hand seat, while the second passenger stood in the space between the two pilot seats.
While performing agricultural spraying over a field located behind a nearby elevation, the aircraft entered a left-hand turn at a very low altitude. During this maneuver, the aircraft struck the ground while traveling on a heading of 310°. The impact caused the aircraft to spin 180 degrees from its original direction of flight. The collision triggered a massive leak of fuel and oil, leading to a post-crash fire that destroyed the forward section of the fuselage. The accident resulted in two fatalities and one serious injury.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating with an incomplete crew as no co-pilot was present.
- Two unauthorized passengers were on board during the final flight, including a child in the cockpit and an individual standing between the seats.
- The crash occurred during a low-altitude turn while the aircraft was engaged in spraying operations.