What happened
On November 8, 2024, at approximately 20:45 UTC, a Cessna A-188-B, registration LV-CBR, was conducting agricultural spraying operations over a prepared field at Estancia El Tordillo, located in Pirovano, Buenos Aires province. The aircraft, operated by CIJE Servicios Aéreos, was performing specialized aerial work maneuvers.
During the mission, the pilot completed four passes over the field. While executing a left-hand turn following the fourth pass, the pilot experienced a loss of control. The aircraft subsequently impacted the terrain, resulting in the total destruction of the airframe. The pilot sustained serious injuries during the impact.
The investigation
The Argentine Transportation Safety Board (JST) conducted an investigation into the accident. Investigators faced significant challenges due to the inability to access the crash site directly. Consequently, the investigation focused on reconstructing the most probable operational scenario rather than performing a detailed mechanical analysis of specific aircraft components.
Findings
Preliminary analysis suggests that the accident was driven by the combination of low flight altitude and environmental factors. The investigation identified the influence of a crosswind as a primary factor that likely caused excessive wing lift during the turn. Given the low altitude maintained during the agricultural application pattern, this aerodynamic disturbance led to an uncontrollable spiral dive into the ground.