What happened
On March 24, 2021, a Cessna A-188-B, registration LV-MCJ, was performing agricultural spraying maneuvers in a rural area near Ceres, Santa Fe. During the 14th application pass, while flying at an altitude of approximately 3 meters, the pilot reported hearing a loud noise inside the cockpit. Immediately following this sound, the aircraft experienced a loss of control in flight, rolling heavily to the left. Despite the pilot's attempts to recover the aircraft using right aileron and pedal inputs, the plane continued its descent and struck the ground. The impact caused the engine to detach from the fuselage and the propeller to shatter. The aircraft was destroyed in the crash, and the pilot sustained serious injuries, specifically a fractured tibia and fibula.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's flight control systems and safety equipment. Investigators inspected the left flap actuation cable, which was found to be severed. However, laboratory analysis revealed no evidence that this breakage occurred prior to the impact, meaning the cable failure could not be definitively linked to the initial loss of control.
Furthermore, the investigation scrutinized the pilot's safety restraints. The seat belts and shoulder harnesses were found to have failed completely during the impact, with the stitching separating from the inertial system. The investigation determined that these components were the original factory parts, dating back to 1977, making them 44 years old at the time of the accident. This exceeded the manufacturer's mandatory replacement interval of five years.
Findings
- The specific origin of the loud noise heard by the pilot and the exact cause of the loss of control could not be determined due to the extent of the wreckage.
- The severed left flap cable was not proven to be a contributing factor to the flight instability prior to impact.
- The failure to replace the 44-year-old seat belts and harnesses according to manufacturer and regulatory life-limit requirements contributed to the increased severity of the pilot's injuries.