What happened
On October 8, 2021, a Cessna T-188-C, registration LV-BDW, was performing agricultural spraying operations in a rural area of Intendente Alvear, La Pampa. The aircraft departed from its base at approximately 21:00 UTC to begin spraying a wheat field.
During the second pass of the operation, flying in a south-to-north direction, the aircraft's landing gear struck medium-voltage electrical lines. The impact with the wires caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft, which subsequently struck the ground. The pilot sustained one minor injury and was able to exit the aircraft on his own.
The investigation
The JST investigation examined the wreckage and interviewed the pilot to reconstruct the flight sequence. The pilot had performed a reconnaissance flight prior to the spraying mission. During the first pass, he identified a specific line of power poles; however, while transitioning between lots during the second pass, he failed to distinguish a second set of medium-voltage lines positioned perpendicularly to his flight path.
Investigators found that the impact with the wires severed the cables via the main landing gear. The aircraft also struck a perimeter fence post, causing the propeller to become entangled in a wire, before coming to rest 35 meters from the initial impact point. While the aircraft was equipped with wire-cutting devices on the landing gear struts, they were unable to prevent the loss of control. Additionally, investigators noted that the aircraft's satellite flight tracker lacked non-volatile memory, preventing a precise reconstruction of the flight path.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the contact with medium-voltage power lines during low-altitude maneuvering.
- The pilot failed to identify the second set of electrical lines during the transition between spraying lots.
- There was no conclusive evidence that a thorough pre-flight risk assessment of ground obstacles had been conducted.
- The operator, Fly Far SRL, was operating without a valid Air Operator Certificate (CETA) at the time of the event.
- The pilot was flying with an expired Aeronautical Medical Certificate (CMA).
Safety action
- The importance of ensuring all regulatory documentation for specific operations is up to date.
- The necessity of maintaining valid medical certifications to ensure pilot fitness for duty.
- The critical need to perform comprehensive pre-flight evaluations to identify all obstacles within the operational area.