Synopsis
On 12 October 2013, at 09:45 local time, a Cessna A188B aircraft, registration HK1624, operating as a special aerial work (fumigation) flight, collided with a tree at low altitude over Finca Los Trompillos, Villanueva, Casanare, Colombia. The aircraft was owned and operated by Agrícola de Servicios Aéreos del Meta (ASAM LTDA). The sole pilot on board evacuated with minor injuries. There was no post-impact fire.
Factual Information
The aircraft was equipped with a Continental IO-520-D engine and a McCauley propeller. At the time of the accident, the pilot had a commercial pilot license with a fumigation rating, aged 24, and reported 900 total flight hours, with 161 hours on type according to company records. The aircraft had flown 5,937:45 hours total, with the engine having accumulated 40,212:29 hours and 243:40 hours since the last overhaul.
Sequence of Events
The pilot was scheduled to spray 63 hectares of rice in lot E4. After completing six spraying runs covering 60 hectares, the aircraft returned to Soceagro airstrip to refill with 40 gallons of chemical and a fuel remain of 5 gallons in the right tank and 10 gallons in the left. During the seventh pass at about two meters above ground, the spray system operated erratically. The pilot initiated a left turn to check the system. While turning at low altitude, the fuel flow indicator fluctuated between three and four gallons. Immediately thereafter, the aircraft struck a tree approximately nine meters high, resulting in loss of control and subsequent impact with the ground.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot suffered minor facial injuries. The aircraft sustained extensive damage: separation of the engine and propeller, partial separation of the empennage and right wing, major damage to the lower fuselage, separation of the spray system and right main landing gear, and deformation of the left stabilizer. The cockpit did not deform significantly. The pilot was wearing a helmet and restraint system, which functioned correctly.
Meteorological and Other Factors
Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time, with good visibility and normal wind. Weather was not a contributing factor. Navigation aids and communications were not involved. The accident site was at an elevation of 747 feet in a muddy rice paddy. The aircraft came to rest inverted at a heading of 003 degrees, with evidence of high-speed, low-angle impact. Post-accident inspection of the engine found no pre-impact mechanical anomalies; damage to fuel system components was attributed to impact forces.