2011 Piper PA-36-300 Agricultural Aircraft Accident (HC-C3YF)

Flight Details and Accident Overview On November 23, 2011, a Piper PA-36-300 aircraft was conducting its first agricultural spraying flight of the day at Hacienda Piedad Zaruma. The aircraft was tasked with treating 8 hectares of banana crops. It departed from the Pasaje runway carrying 40 gallons of emulsion and 50 gallons of fuel. During the operation, the aircraft suffered a catastrophic failure and crashed, resulting in the total destruction of the airframe due to impact forces. No other property damage was reported as a consequence of the accident. The pilot, a 29-year-old Ecuadorian commercial pilot, was the sole occupant and escaped the wreckage without sustaining any injuries. The aircraft was not equipped with flight recorders, as they were not a regulatory requirement for its category. The pilot had reported to the Santa Rosa Control Tower that he would conduct spraying activities north of the airport for 15 minutes prior to the incident. No further communications were made, as the nature of the failure prevented the pilot from declaring an emergency.