What happened
On July 13, 2010, an amateur pilot was operating a Grand-187 ultralight aircraft, registration RA-0967G, to perform unauthorized aerial application of liquid organic fertilizers near the settlement of Yaseni. The flight operations were conducted without submitting flight plans, requesting meteorological information, or obtaining clearance from Air Traffic Control. The pilot also failed to maintain radio communication during the mission.
During the third flight of the day, the pilot attempted to land in a wheat field that had recently been harvested. At the time of the incident, a tractor and a specialized crew were present in the field to refuel the aircraft with fertilizer. As the aircraft approached the landing site, it failed to reduce its altitude and flew over the ground crew. Approximately 350 meters past the intended landing spot, while performing a right-hand turn—likely an attempt to reposition the aircraft near the tractor—the Grand-187 struck the ground and was destroyed.
Findings
- The flight was conducted without official authorization or coordination with Air Traffic Control.
- No weather briefings or meteorological data were requested prior to the mission.
- The pilot performed unauthorized agricultural spraying operations without flight plan approval.