Cessna A188B HK-2252 Agricultural Spraying Accident in Colombia (HK2252)

Incident Overview and Location On May 22, 2016, at 11:15 local time (16:15 UTC), a Cessna A188B with registration HK-2252 crashed while conducting an agricultural spraying operation. The accident occurred at the Palmar La Giramena plantation in the municipality of San Carlos de Guaroa, Meta Department, Colombia, at coordinates N 03°50’42.20” / W 073°22’24.40” . The aircraft was owned and operated by Comercializadora ECO LTDA. The operation was a special aerial work flight for crop fumigation over an African palm plantation. The pilot had departed from Yaguarito airstrip (OACI: SKGR) after refilling the agrochemicals. During the fourth flight of the day, while traveling to the work site at a low altitude of approximately 8 meters above the tree canopy, the pilot reported a sudden, unexpected descent of the aircraft's tail. The pilot attempted to recover the aircraft and initiate the emergency dumping of the chemical product. However, this maneuver was unsuccessful because the emergency dump lever in the cockpit was fractured due to corrosion. Unable to regain altitude, the aircraft struck the tree canopy and subsequently crashed into the terrain. The aircraft sustained severe structural damage, classified as destroyed. The tail and left wing separated from the airframe during the initial impact with the trees, and the central fuselage was found inverted at the base of the vegetation. No post-accident fire occurred. The sole occupant, the pilot, sustained minor injuries and evacuated the aircraft. After walking for approximately three hours, the pilot was assisted by a motorcyclist and transported to the facilities of the Palmar La Giramena company, the owner of the work lot. The Colombian accident investigation group (GRIAA) was notified on the same day, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was notified as the state of design and manufacture. The pilot was 24 years old, held a commercial pilot license, and had a total of 276:15 flight hours, including 36:15 hours on the Cessna A188B type. The aircraft had a total of 2,292:53 flight hours. The investigation determined that the probable causes of the accident were a collision with an obstacle during a low-altitude flight, non-compliance with the company's General Operations Manual by flying below the established altitude, and low situational awareness that led to the underestimation of operational hazards. The failure of the emergency chemical dump lever due to corrosion was identified as a contributing factor.