What happened
On June 30, 2015, a Cessna A1SB (registration HK2154) was conducting agricultural spraying operations over rice crops at the "Los Caballos" farm in San Luis de Palenque, Casanare. The aircraft departed from the "La Veremos" airstrip at 15:40 local time to apply fungicide.
After completing the first spray pass, the pilot attempted to execute a turn to begin a second pass. During this maneuver, the pilot experienced significant solar glare, which led to a collision with overhead electrical lines located in the flight path. The impact caused the aircraft to lose control and strike the terrain, eventually coming to rest in an inverted position. The aircraft sustained extensive structural damage, including the separation of the engine, propeller, and main landing gear.
The pilot sustained severe injuries, including internal organ damage, a fractured arm, and a cervical injury, requiring emergency surgery. No other persons were on board.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation established that the aircraft's flight path intersected with the electrical infrastructure due to a combination of environmental and operational factors. Investigators used a solar trajectory simulator to determine that the sun's position at the time of the accident created a condition of disruptive glare, significantly reducing the pilot's visual contrast and situational awareness.
Notably, the investigation could not perform a full field examination because the aircraft wreckage had been removed from the site without authorization by the operator prior to the investigators' arrival.
Findings
- Solar glare likely caused a momentary loss of visual perception for the pilot.
- The pilot operated at an altitude lower than the minimums established by Colombian Aeronautical Regulations (RAC) for agricultural flights over unpopulated areas.
- The flight path was incorrectly selected, placing the aircraft directly in the trajectory of the power lines.
- There were significant deficiencies in the operational planning of the spraying mission.
- The operator's Safety Management System (SMS) was still in the development phase and lacked an Emergency Response Plan.