What happened
On 25 July 2005, an Ayres S2R-T34, registration ZS-PAD, was engaged in crop-spraying operations at Oranjeskraal Farm, located roughly 16 nautical miles southeast of Moorreesburg in the Western Cape. During the agricultural mission, the pilot encountered high-tension power lines at Louws Baken Farm. Upon detecting the wires, the pilot immediately executed an upward pitch maneuver to avoid a collision. However, the underside of the aircraft's wing struck and severed the upper high-tension wire. Following the impact, the pilot successfully returned to Oranjeskraal Aerodrome to land the aircraft safely. There were no injuries reported, and the aircraft sustained only minor superficial scratches to the lower wing surfaces.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the contact with the electrical infrastructure. The investigation confirmed that the pilot held a valid commercial pilot's license with the necessary agricultural rating. The operator maintained a valid agricultural operating license, and the aircraft's maintenance records showed that the last Mandatory Periodic Inspection (MPI) had been completed in April 2005, with only 72.4 flight hours elapsed since that inspection. Meteorological conditions at the time of the incident were reported as clear, with a temperature of 19˚C and light winds.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the pilot's failure to observe the high-tension wires during the spraying maneuver.
- The visibility of the electrical infrastructure was severely compromised because the poles supporting the wires were hidden by trees, causing them to blend into the natural background.