Accident Overview
On a locust spraying mission over San Pedro de Colalao in the province of Tucumán, a three-engine aircraft crashed after its left wing struck a tree during a low-altitude turn. The flight, operated on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, departed from San Miguel de Tucumán Airport in the afternoon. The aircraft carried three passengers, two pilots, 2,400 liters of gasoline, 180 liters of oil, and 1,000 liters of liquid locust spray.
Sequence of Events
After an uneventful first pass over the plantations, the pilot-in-command completed a circuit in an attempt to make a second low pass. During a turn at low height, the left wing hit a tree. The aircraft subsequently stalled and crashed. The impact destroyed the aircraft. Both pilots and two of the three passengers were killed; the fifth occupant was injured.
Investigation Findings
The investigating authority determined the probable cause to be a lack of technical experience on the part of the pilot in carrying out a spraying flight over mountainous terrain, resulting in failure to allow adequate terrain clearance. Contributing factors were identified as the type of operation, the nature of the area flown over, and the type of aircraft used.