What happened
On September 24, 2020, an agricultural flight was scheduled to apply herbicides to farmland in the Kamensky District of the Tula Oblast. The mission was conducted under a service agreement between Avangard-Agro-Tula and the aircraft owner. The crew, consisting of a pilot and an assistant, arrived at the aircraft's parking location at approximately 05:00.
Following pre-flight preparations led by the pilot, the aircraft took off at 06:24 from a landing site located 1.5 km northwest of the village of Soklakovo. At 06:25, the pilot began the crop spraying operations. After completing the initial field treatment, the pilot began a flight toward a refueling site to replenish the chemical payload.
At 06:35, while flying at an altitude of between 8 and 10 meters, the aircraft struck the 10 kV "Sidor - Kalinki" power lines between supports No. 2 and No. 3. The impact also caused the wires between supports No. 3 and No. 4 to break. Following the collision, the aircraft entered a rapid descent and struck the ground. The accident resulted in 1 fatality and caused significant damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed the operational agreements in place for the flight, including the aircraft lease and agency contracts. Records indicated that the aircraft owner had submitted the necessary airspace usage notifications to the Air Traffic Management Center on September 23, 2020. Evidence from a witness also noted that the pilot had rested in a hotel for more than eight hours prior to the flight.