What happened
On February 11, 2021, a Piper PA 25-235, registration LV-BNL, departed from the San Benito aerodrome in the province of Entre Ríos for an agricultural spraying mission. During the operation in the rural area of Alcaraz, the aircraft struck trees with its left wing before crashing into a wooded area.
The pilot managed to evacuate the wreckage on his own, but sustained severe burns. Although the pilot was initially treated in Paraná, he later succumbed to his injuries in Buenos Aires. The wreckage was located by local police approximately 25 kilometers south of Provincial Route 127.
The investigation
The Argentine Transportation Safety Board (JST) examined the circumstances surrounding the flight and the subsequent emergency response. The investigation focused on the lack of communication between the aircraft and the Paraná Tower, as no flight plan or transit permits had been filed for the operation outside the controlled zone.
Investigators also looked into the equipment on board, noting that the aircraft was not equipped with an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT). Furthermore, the investigation reviewed the regulatory framework for agricultural aviation, specifically the status of the RAAC part 137 regulations and the pilot's credentials.
Findings
- The pilot was operating the aircraft without the specific agricultural pilot license required for this type of mission.
- The aircraft's left wing collided with trees, leading to the impact.
- The lack of an ELT and the absence of communication with air traffic control meant that Search and Rescue (SAR) services were never notified of the accident.
- The aircraft was operating in an area with no cellular coverage, and the nearest settlement was 25 kilometers away, complicating the pilot's survival efforts.
- At the time of the accident, regulatory updates regarding operator manuals for agricultural flights had not yet been fully integrated into the national regulations.