What happened
On February 16, 2013, a Cessna A 188 B, registration CX-BVK-R, was performing agricultural spraying operations over a soybean field near Rincón de los Tapes, Durazno. During the seventh flight of the day, the aircraft struck high-voltage power lines, causing it to crash and immediately burst into flames. The impact severed two high-tension lines.
The pilot managed to escape the burning wreckage by unbuckling the safety harness and exiting through the right window. Despite sustaining severe burns and injuries, the pilot traveled approximately two kilometers on foot to seek medical assistance. The aircraft was completely destroyed by the fire, which also spread to the surrounding dry pasture.
The investigation
The CIAIA investigation established that the pilot was conducting a complex spraying pattern, alternating between "point-to-point" and "hippodrome" flight paths to navigate around obstacles such as eucalyptus groves and power towers. During the seventh flight, the pilot attempted to adjust the GPS settings because the device indicated a duplicate flight path was being performed.
Investigators found that while the pilot was focused on correcting the GPS data, the aircraft began to lose altitude. By the time the pilot noticed the proximity of the high-voltage cables, the collision was unavoidable. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was well-maintained, within weight and balance limits, and that no mechanical failures contributed to the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was pilot distraction caused by attempting to resolve a GPS programming issue while in flight.
- The pilot failed to maintain proper situational awareness and priority of flight controls over navigation equipment adjustments.
- The high ambient temperature and the operational pressures of completing the spraying schedule contributed to the error.
- The pilot's use of a flight suit, helmet, and mask helped mitigate the severity of the burns, though the injuries remained serious.