Accident Details
The crew began a crop spraying mission at 0440 local time on behalf of a local agricultural collective. Fifteen rotations were completed by the lunch break. At 1820 local time, the crew took off for another series of four rotations. The first three rotations proceeded without incident. During the fourth rotation, the crew initiated the maneuver at an insufficient altitude. The pilot executed a sharp right turn, during which the aircraft banked to an angle of 45 degrees. The nose then dropped, and the aircraft crashed into a field at a speed of 180 km/h.
Injuries and Fatalities
The copilot sustained serious injuries, while the captain was killed in the impact. The copilot succumbed to his injuries four hours after the accident.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was that the crew initiated the last rotation in a wrong configuration. The distance between the aircraft and the ground during the final right turn did not allow the crew to correct the situation and avoid the collision with the ground.