2017 Air Tractor AT-301 agricultural aircraft accident in Ciénaga, Colombia (HK5176)

Overview and Operation Details On 22 June 2017, an Air Tractor AT-301 agricultural aircraft, registration HK-5176, operated by Fumigaray S.A.S., was conducting a crop-spraying mission over a banana plantation in the Vereda el Vijagual area of Ciénaga, Magdalena, Colombia. The aircraft departed from the La Lucha airstrip, the company's auxiliary base, and was preparing for its fourth flight of the day, carrying 270 gallons of the product “Ditanic” and 60 gallons of fuel. ## Sequence of Events At approximately 07:40 local time, the pilot had prepared the aircraft for the mission. After completing spraying operations in the Vijagual lot, the aircraft was in a low-altitude cruise phase returning to the base at about 500 feet above the terrain when a sudden engine failure occurred. The pilot made an emergency call on the company's internal frequency, reported the engine failure, and selected a field for an emergency landing. During the final approach, while executing a 90-degree left turn, the aircraft's left wing struck a palm tree. This impact caused a loss of control, and the aircraft crashed into the terrain. A post-impact fire broke out, consuming approximately 90% of the aircraft. The pilot managed to abandon the aircraft but sustained severe burns and later died from his injuries. ## Investigation and Findings The accident investigation group (GRIAA) was notified at 08:50 local time. The accident site was located 10 nautical miles from the La Lucha airstrip. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft fly with the engine off, make a left turn toward the selected field, and strike trees at low altitude. The investigation determined that the accident was caused by a forced landing in an unprepared field following a malfunction of the powerplant during low-altitude flight. The specific cause of the engine failure could not be determined with the available evidence. ## Aircraft and Pilot Information The aircraft was an Air Tractor AT-301, serial number 301-0271, powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN 1 engine. The pilot was a 56-year-old commercial pilot with 12,720 total flight hours, all in the Air Tractor type. He held a valid first-class medical certificate and had completed his last check ride on 26 January 2017. ## Damage and Environmental Factors The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire. The left wing showed significant deformation from striking palm trees, while the right wing had a circular deformation near the tip, consistent with a tree impact. The main landing gear and tail skid were intact with no pre-impact damage. The tail section was also intact. Meteorological conditions at the time were visual meteorological conditions (VMC), and the nearest weather report from Santa Marta indicated clear skies with good visibility. The investigation concluded that weather, navigation aids, and communications did not contribute to the accident.