What happened
On March 20, 2015, an EMB-202A Neiva, registration PT-UTS, was performing agricultural spraying operations at Fazenda São Miguel in São Desidério, Bahia. The pilot was completing the application of pesticides over a soybean field, with only one remaining strip of the crop left to treat. This specific strip coincided with the location of the farm's electrical power lines.
To complete the task, the pilot decided to fly along the longitudinal axis of the power lines while simultaneously discharging the pesticide. During this maneuver, the left main landing gear struck one of the electrical wires. Following the strike, the pilot attempted to delay the left wheel's contact with the ground as much as possible, fearing structural damage. However, the impact had already compromised the left landing gear's torque arm. Upon landing, the gear collapsed, causing the propeller blades to strike the ground and resulting in a sudden engine stoppage. The pilot escaped the incident uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation confirmed that the pilot was highly experienced, with approximately 2,400 total flight hours, 1,800 of which were in the EMB-202A model. The pilot held valid medical and technical certifications, and the aircraft was fully compliant with airworthiness requirements, including up-to-date maintenance logs for the airframe, engine, and propeller. The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading from the wire strike to the gear collapse and the subsequent propeller impact.
Findings
- Flight planning errors regarding the approach to known obstacles.
- Pilot judgment regarding the decision to fly directly over the power lines during spraying operations.
- The physical impact of the landing gear with the electrical wires.