2010 Cessna 188-B Agricultural Spraying Accident in La Unión

Flight Operations and Accident Sequence On the afternoon of August 29, 2010, Cessna A-188-B was conducting its second of three planned flights to spray a banana plantation at the southern entrance of La Unión, Esmeraldas. The aircraft had completed five other flights that day, starting at 14:30 UTC from Silok airfield and later from Km 192 (El Limón). At 22:10 UTC, it departed El Limón for its second pass over the plantation. At 22:19 UTC, while initiating an east-to-west pass, the aircraft struck the upper guard wire of the National Interconnected System power line crossing the plantation's eastern edge. The aircraft fell to the ground and caught fire, resulting in total destruction. The pilot, a 56-year-old Ecuadorian commercial pilot who also served as the operator's Chief of Operations, was killed. Autopsy attributed death to cardiorespiratory arrest and carbonization. The impact severed a 90 cm portion of the left wing's leading edge and tip, and the aircraft impacted the ground nose-first and right wingtip after a 200-meter fall, with a 30-degree right bank. The fuel tank compressed forward, displacing the cockpit. The propeller detached and was buried 30 cm to 2 meters right of the nose. The aircraft came to rest oriented at 345 degrees. ## Aircraft and Maintenance History The 1976 Cessna A-188-B entered Ecuador on February 23, 1976, and received its registration certificate on September 15, 1976. Its airworthiness certificate was valid until October 15, 2010. The aircraft had previously been involved in an accident on June 14, 2007, due to an internal engine failure (IO-520-D, serial 566676), and was returned to service on October 8, 2008. It joined the operating company's fleet on November 28, 2008. At the time of the accident, the fuselage had 4,829.4 service hours, and the Continental IO-520-D engine had 1,001.7 hours. The McCauley B2A34O205C propeller's manufacturing year, last overhaul date, and service hours were unknown due to missing documentation; it was apparently installed on August 6, 2010. The company did not maintain maintenance records at Silok or El Limón, leaving all manuals at its Vinces base. Periodic inspections and airworthiness directives for the aircraft and engine were current. ## Environmental and Operational Conditions Witnesses reported partly cloudy skies with sun and no wind, with slightly more clouds to the west. The Km 192 runway, a 950x16 meter asphalt surface with designations 17/35, coordinates 000948N 0792208W, and elevation 1247 feet, was open for operations. No navigation aids existed in the area, and radio aids were not required for this VFR operation. The aircraft maintained no communications with air traffic control or ground support personnel. The aircraft was not equipped with flight recorders, as none were required for its category. The power line damage included a section of the guard wire, and several banana plants were affected. The accident occurred between towers SLI-2-163 and SLI-2-162, near the road between La Independencia and La Unión. Firefighters from La Unión extinguished the fire and recovered the pilot's body, which was sent to Quinindé for legal proceedings. No survival was possible due to the nature of the event, and the pilot's harness and seatbelt were completely burned, preventing verification of their integrity.