Accident Overview
On November 19, 2012, an Air Tractor AT-301, registration HK-3289, operated by Servicios de Fumigación Aérea Garay S.A.S. (FUMIGARAY S.A.S.), was conducting agricultural spraying operations. The aircraft began flights at 06:12 local time from the Los Almendros aerodrome in Carepa, Antioquia. After completing four spraying runs over the "La Hacienda" farm, the aircraft departed again at 08:13 for the "María del Rosario" farm in Turbo, Antioquia.
During the eighth spraying pass, while turning for the next run, the pilot reported a sudden and intense engine vibration that made control nearly impossible. The pilot reduced power and executed an immediate forced landing in an unprepared cultivated field within the same farm. During the emergency landing, the aircraft struck a banana plantation, collided with a product transport line, and impacted the ground, sustaining substantial structural damage.
Injuries and Damage
The sole pilot was rescued unconscious by farm workers and transported to a medical facility with polytrauma to the left foot, right hand, and a fracture of the right knee. The aircraft sustained major structural damage, including to the fuselage, wings, engine separation, substantial deterioration of the chemical tank and spraying system, rupture of the main landing gear, and detachment of the horizontal stabilizers and elevators. No post-crash fire occurred. The accident occurred at 08:40 local time.
Aircraft and Engine Information
The Air Tractor AT-301 (serial 301-0661) was manufactured in 1993. The engine was a Pratt & Whitney R1340 AN-1 (serial 10486). The propeller was a Hamilton Standard 22 D 40 (serial 88000 at the time of the accident, but various propellers had been installed previously). The aircraft had a history of prior incidents: an incident on September 21, 2001, and a serious incident on January 23, 2012, near the same location. Following the 2012 incident, the engine and propeller were inspected and reinstalled. Maintenance records show multiple 25, 50, and 100-hour inspections, as well as compliance with airworthiness directives, leading up to the accident.
Sequence of Events
The pilot had completed four flights over "La Hacienda" farm earlier that morning. At 08:13, the aircraft departed for "María del Rosario" farm. After the eighth spraying pass, while in a turn, the pilot felt a strong and unusual engine vibration. He cut power and immediately attempted a forced landing. The aircraft touched down in a banana plantation, severely damaging the vegetation and infrastructure, including the product transport line. The pilot was extracted unconscious from the wreckage.
Post-Accident Actions
Farm workers provided initial assistance to the pilot, who was later transferred to a medical facility. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and the accident was investigated by the Colombian civil aviation authority (UAE Aeronáutica Civil).