Forced Landing of Piper PA-25-235 HK-673 in Villanueva, Colombia (HK673)

Incident Overview and Flight History On June 26, 2019, at approximately 09:00 local time (14:00 UTC), a Piper PA-25-235 with registration HK-673 was conducting an agricultural spraying operation in the municipality of Villanueva, Casanare, Colombia. The aircraft, operated by Trabajos Aéreos Especiales de Aviación Agrícola (TAES), had departed from Santa Clara airfield (SQRT) and was working over Lot A3, located approximately 5 kilometers from the runway. During a maneuver to position the aircraft over the crop, the engine experienced a sudden loss of power. ## Emergency Response and Impact The pilot, who was the sole occupant, immediately evacuated the chemical product and followed engine failure procedures, but the power was not recovered. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in an unprepared field. While maintaining control during the descent, the pilot encountered an oil palm crop and had to turn to avoid a collision. During this turn, the aircraft lost lift and impacted the terrain. The pilot exited the aircraft under his own power and was reported as uninjured. ## Aircraft Damage and Environmental Impact The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The impact destroyed the engine mount and the Lycoming O-540-B285 engine, the spraying system, the fuselage structure, and the wings. The fuel tanks were also detached. Minor damage was reported to the surrounding rice crop and vegetation due to the spillage of fuel, oil, and fungicide. ## Investigation Findings The investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was the loss of power from the powerplant due to fuel contamination with a high percentage of water and low lead levels. This condition caused irregular fuel feeding for combustion, leading to the engine's loss of power. The pilot was a 28-year-old commercial pilot with a valid medical certificate and 1,400 total flight hours, including 450 hours on the Piper PA-25 type. The aircraft had a total of 8,126.30 flight hours and was within its operational envelope at the time of the incident.