What happened
On July 10, 2012, at 07:59 local time, a Piper PA-36 PAWNEE BRAVE, registration HK-2210, crashed while performing agricultural spraying operations in the Caño La Mona lot of the Indupalma farm in San Alberto, Cesar. The aircraft, operated by Aero Agropecuaria del Norte Ltda, was executing its fifth flight of the day. During the final pass of the mission, the right wing struck a branchless tree trunk protruding from the palm plantation.
The impact caused an immediate loss of control, initiating a right-hand roll. The aircraft subsequently struck the palm trees before impacting the ground on its right side in an inverted position. The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, sustained fatal injuries due to the extreme deceleration forces and a skull fracture. The aircraft suffered substantial structural damage, including the separation of the right wing and the landing gear, and was a total loss.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation analyzed maintenance records, GPS flight tracks, and physical evidence at the crash site. The investigation confirmed that the pilot was highly experienced, with over 7,500 total flight hours and significant time in this specific aircraft type. Maintenance logs showed the aircraft had been compliant with all manufacturer-mandated inspections, with the most recent 50-hour service completed in June 2012.
Investigators also examined the environmental conditions, noting that the weather was stable with good visibility. The investigation focused on why the obstacle was not detected and evaluated the impact of the pilot's lack of protective headgear on the survivability of the crash.
Findings
- The primary cause was the intentional operation at low altitude near obstacles during aerial application tasks.
- The pilot inadvertently struck a branchless tree trunk that was difficult to detect due to low contrast with the surrounding terrain.
- A lack of situational awareness regarding specific hazards in the field was exacerbated by the fact that the vegetation in such plantations is typically uniform, making protruding obstacles less noticeable.
- There was no formal risk assessment or specific information provided to the pilot regarding the presence of this particular obstacle in the work area.
- The pilot was not wearing an aviation helmet, which contributed to the severity of the head injury.