What happened
On the morning of March 25, 1998, a Cessna A 188 B Agwagon, registration F-OHQE, was performing agricultural spraying operations over a banana plantation near L'Ajoupa – Bouillon. While flying an eastbound pass, the pilot encountered intense sunlight that caused significant glare. During this maneuver, the aircraft struck a 12-meter-tall avocado tree that was situated within the plantation. Although the impact caused damage to the engine cowling, the leading edge, and the spraying booms, the pilot maintained control of the aircraft. The pilot was able to successfully navigate the aircraft back to the Fort-de-France aerodrome, located approximately 40 kilometers away.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the environmental conditions and the pilot's perception during the flight. Investigators established that at the time of the accident, the sun was positioned at an azimuth of 89°, creating a direct glare for the pilot during the eastbound leg of the flight. While the pilot was familiar with the local terrain and was aware of the presence of the isolated avocado tree, the visibility was compromised by the solar position. There were no injuries reported following the incident.