What happened
On 25 January 2022, an Air Tractor AT 502B with registration ZS-OMK was performing aerial application services at Vlakfontein Farm, near Sedibeng, Gauteng. The aircraft was engaged in spraying maize fields with liquid fertilizer under Part 1lar7 of the Civil Aviation Regulations.
During the mission, the pilot was maneuvering the aircraft for a new spray run. In an attempt to fly beneath high-tension electrical cables, the top of the aircraft's vertical stabilizer struck one of the lines. The impact caused the rudder to jam, making it impossible for the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft's direction or stability. Following the collision, the pilot reduced the engine to idle and executed a forced landing in a maize field approximately 600 meters from the site of the strike. The pilot escaped the substantial damage to the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the circumstances surrounding the flight and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The investigation confirmed that the pilot was a qualified commercial pilot with extensive experience on this aircraft type. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was within its maintenance schedule, having undergone a recent inspection in January 2022.
Investigators noted that while the ZS-OMK was equipped with a factory-installed cable deflector, this device failed to prevent the contact with the power lines. The investigation also found that the operator's application for an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) was still being processed by the authority, though an AOC number had been issued.