What happened
On May 5, 2015, at approximately 11:30 UTC, an Embraer EMB-202, registration PT-VYV, was performing agricultural spraying operations in a rural area of Terra Roxa, Paraná. The aircraft, operated by C.Vale Cooperativa Agroindustrial, had departed from an improvised landing strip to apply fungicide to a cornfield.
After 20 minutes of flight time, while performing the first spray pass, the aircraft struck a wire from a rural electrification network. Following the impact, the pilot executed a left turn and continued the flight under normal conditions, eventually returning to the original landing strip. The aircraft sustained minor damage, including scratches on the side panels and light damage to one propeller blade. The pilot remained uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the mid-air collision with the obstacle. The investigation confirmed that the pilot was fully qualified, holding valid medical and technical certifications, with significant flight experience totaling 7,200 hours, 6,000 of which were in the Embraer EMB-202.
The aircraft was found to be in a condition of airworthiness, with all maintenance records up to date, and was within proper weight and balance limits at the time of the incident. The investigation noted that collisions with ground obstacles, specifically power lines, represent a significant portion of accidents in agricultural aviation due to the high-risk nature of low-altitude operations.
Findings
- Inadequate flight planning, as the pilot had not performed a sufficiently thorough reconnaissance of the area to identify and map all obstacles.
- Lack of attention and situational awareness during the low-altitude operation, which resulted in the failure to perceive the electrical wires during the initial spray pass.