Factual Information
On 1 February 2024, at 07:15 local time (12:15 UTC), a Piper PA-36-375, registration HK2209, was operating an agricultural spraying mission from the Orihueca airstrip (Finca la Iberia) in Magdalena, Colombia. The aircraft was configured for special aerial work and carried one pilot.
Narrative
The aircraft had been scheduled for two spraying missions in the Macondo block. After completing the first mission without incident, the pilot reloaded 220 gallons of chemical and added 50 gallons of fuel for the second flight. Takeoff proceeded normally; however, after rotation, the aircraft experienced a loss of speed, causing the nose to pitch down. The pilot verified that the power and mixture levers were in the full position. With insufficient altitude and speed, the pilot prepared for an emergency landing, extending the runway heading and reducing power to minimize speed. The aircraft subsequently collided with a tree, then struck a banana plantation approximately 5 meters from a house, and finally impacted the ground.
Injuries
The pilot was uninjured and was assisted by operator maintenance personnel, who transported him to a medical center in Santa Marta for evaluation. No other occupants or injuries were reported.
Aircraft Damage
The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The right wing was completely fractured in half; the left wing had bent spar caps, a cracked front beam, destroyed leading edge skins, and split wingtip and skins. Both flaps and ailerons were fractured. Elevators were bent, the left horizontal stabilizer bent, and the right horizontal stabilizer struck at the tip. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent. The center section tubing was completely severed, and the engine mount was destroyed.
Probable Cause
The accident was attributed to an emergency landing in an unprepared field due to the aircraft's inability to gain height and speed, resulting from a takeoff conducted with a weight exceeding the maximum operating weight for the existing conditions.
Contributing Factors
The investigation identified the pilot's lack of knowledge regarding aircraft performance characteristics and the effects of weight, ambient temperature, obstacles, and maneuvers on performance, as well as a deficiency in the operator's safety management program for dispatch procedures based on weight and balance.