What happened
On June 5, 2009, at approximately 08:00 local time, an Air Tractor AT-401, registration EC-END, was performing an agricultural flight operation near Utrera, Seville. The aircraft, operated by Trabajos Aéreos de Córdoba, was scheduled to fly from the El Toruño dirt airstrip to the Huerta de la Arena airstrip for rice field fumigation.
Following a standard pre-flight inspection, the pilot started the engine and waited for operating temperatures and pressures to stabilize. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft encountered a strong wind gust from the right. This sudden atmospheric disturbance caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft, resulting in it veering off the runway and impacting a wheat field located on the side of the track.
The pilot, an experienced commercial pilot with 5,920 total flight hours, escaped the incident without injuries. However, the aircraft sustained several damages, including a bent left main landing gear leg, a broken tire, dents on the wingtips, damage to the engine cowling, and minor abrasions to the propeller blades.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the environmental conditions and the pilot's actions during the critical takeoff phase. Investigators examined the aircraft's damage patterns, which were consistent with a wind gust originating from the right, causing the aircraft to drift toward the left. The investigation also noted that in an attempt to correct the deviation, the pilot likely applied control inputs that resulted in the aircraft exiting the runway on the right side.
Furthermore, the damage to the propeller blades suggested that the pilot may have lowered the aircraft's nose to counteract the gust, causing the blades to lightly strike the ground while the engine was at full takeoff power.
Findings
- The pilot possessed significant experience, including 800 hours in the specific aircraft type.
- The pilot had not checked the local meteorological conditions prior to the flight.
- The presence of scattered clouds and turbulence was noted in the area.
- A sudden wind gust from the right was the primary factor that led to the loss of control during the takeoff roll.