What happened
On February 21, 2019, at approximately 09:30 local time, an Air Tractor AT-502-B, registration LV-WXI, was engaged in agricultural spraying operations in the rural Campichuelo region of Argentina. While performing maneuvers to enter a field for product application, the aircraft struck an antenna. The impact caused significant damage to the airframe, which forced the pilot to perform an emergency landing. There were no injuries reported for the single occupant on board during the event.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the collision during the low-level flight maneuvers required for aerial application. Investigators examined the aircraft's flight path and the circumstances surrounding the contact with the antenna. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was operating under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) at the time of the incident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the aircraft striking an antenna during the maneuvering phase of an agricultural flight.
- The collision resulted in substantial damage to the Air Tractor AT-502-B.
- The impact necessitated an immediate emergency landing to prevent further loss of control or structural failure.