Cessna A-188 Emergency Landing in Colombia (HK2277)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On December 15, 2015, a Cessna A-188 with registration HK2277, operated by Fumigación Aérea y Servicios Especiales Fase S.A.S. (FASE S.A.S.), was conducting an agricultural spraying operation over a rice field at Finca Elvia Rosa in Pueblo Nuevo, Magdalena, Colombia. The aircraft departed from the uncontrolled La Palma runway, carrying 54 gallons of fuel and 200 gallons of insecticide and fungicide. The pilot, a 66-year-old commercial pilot, was the sole occupant. At 15:30 local time (20:30 UTC), after completing seven passes over the target area, a severe engine explosion occurred during a climb at approximately 300 feet above ground level. The explosion was accompanied by significant smoke and fire near the firewall. The pilot maintained control of the aircraft, which attempted to invert, and elected to make a forced landing in an unprepared field about 200 meters from the spraying area. The aircraft touched down level with full flaps extended. During the 300-meter rollout, the aircraft crossed a depression and the left wing struck a 3-meter-tall tree, causing a sharp change in heading. The pilot unbuckled, opened the exit window, and evacuated the aircraft uninjured. The fire intensified, consuming nearly the entire aircraft. The investigation determined that the accident was caused by an in-flight engine failure of unknown nature at low altitude, which initiated a fire and necessitated the emergency landing. Contributing factors included the operator's and pilot's non-compliance with Colombian Aeronautical Regulations, specifically operating an aircraft with an expired airworthiness certificate and a pilot without a valid annual flight check. The aircraft was destroyed primarily by fire, with the propeller detached in flight and the engine separated from the firewall. The pilot's medical certificate had expired in August 2015, and he had not flown for approximately one year prior to the incident.