Spraying (Agricultural)

The crew was completing a spraying mission on potatoes field for the sovkhoz of 'Novocheboksary' located east of the village of Kugesi, in the suburb of Cheboksary. While flying at a height of 15-20 meters, the single engine aircraft struck power cables, turned to the right and crashed 195 meters further, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed.

A Douglas C-118A (DC-6A) fire fighting plane was destroyed in an accident near Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, QC, Canada. All four crew members were killed. The Conifair plane took off from Bonaventure Airport, QC (YVB) at 19:15 for a spray operation 30 miles southeast of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. This was to be the last spraying flight of the season out of the Bonaventure base. A crew of four was on board, including two flight engineers who were on a familiarization training flight. The aircraft was carrying 2,952 U.S. gallons of Dipel 132, a non-toxic microbial insecticide. The aircraft arrived over the spray area at 19:35. An inertial navigation system (INS) to follow pre-established spraying tracks. The first track was sprayed uneventfully. At the end of the first track, the aircraft made a 180-degree turn to spray the second track, which was parallel to and about 800 feet northeast of the first track. This meant that the aircraft had to fly from a valley at an elevation of 1,000 feet above sea level (asl) up a mountain consisting of two levels. The first level is about 1,800 feet asl and about 3,280 feet along the flight path. After the first level, the terrain rose within approximately 1,000 feet along the flight path, to the summit of the mountain at an elevation of 2,175 feet asl. The two occupants of a Cessna 310 spotter aircraft observed a decrease of the DC-6A ground speed during the climb over the first level of the mountain. They then noticed that the aircraft yawed and started a steep, left turn. The spotter crew stated that, shortly after the start of the left turn, the DC-6A left wing began to strike trees. The aircraft nosed down, crashed on the side of the mountain, and exploded at an elevation of 2,050 feet asl.

The crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck power cables and crashed. There were no casualties.

The crew was engaged in a crop spraying mission on behalf of the collective farm 'Rossiya' located about 40 km north of Brest. In the evening, the crew embarked two unauthorized passengers for a local flight. While flying at a height of 15-20 meters, the pilot-in-command initiated a steep turn to the left when the aircraft rolled 45°, causing the left wing to struck the ground about 600 meters southwest of Doūbizna. Out of control, the aircraft crashed 89 meters further, bursting into flames. All four occupants were killed.

Crashed in unknown circumstances. No casualties.

The flight (a Monroe County Mosquito Control operation) began at about 1740 edt to conduct low altitude spraying. When it did not return, a search was initiated. At about 0245, the aircraft was found in a remote area on water key near the town of Summerland Key, FL. Evidence at the accident scene suggested the aircraft struck 40 feet high mangrove trees with the left wing as the pilots were making a procedure turn to start another spray run. No preimpact failure or malfunction of the aircraft or engines was found. There were no known witnesses, but the accident was estimated to have occurred at about 2030 edt. Sunset was at 1952 edt. About 22 miles southwest at Key West, the 1750 weather was in part: 1,500 feet scat, 10 miles visibility, wind from 330° at 10 knots. Aprx 85 miles north-northeast, the wind was from 100° at 11 knots. Both pilots were killed.

The student agricultural pilot was operating under the supervision of an instructor. The aircraft had just taken off and was turning in the valley to gain height in order to clear high terrain which lay between the airstrip and the sowing area. Witnesses heard the engine misfire and saw the aircraft lose height while turning to avoid some high ground, collide with the hillside, and catch fire. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. The aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was engaged in a spraying mission in Raklevichi on behalf of the 'Rossia' State Farm. The takeoff roll was abnormally long and the aircraft took off and climbed with an insufficient speed. One minute after liftoff, the single engine aircraft struck the tops of pine trees and crashed in a glade. The copilot was killed while the captain was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crashed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties. The exact date of the accident is unknown, somewhere in 1988.

The aircraft took off at about 0950 to spray chemicals on a 10-hectare potato crop. The flight was expected to take about 25 minutes. At 1020 when the plane had not returned to the airstrip the loader driver attempted to contact the pilot using a portable VHF transceiver. There was no response. The aircraft was found to have crashed in a level stony paddock. Physical evidence showed that the ground impact had occurred with the plane in a descending left turn and a nose down attitude. The angle of bank was 20 to 30 degrees. The outer panel of the left wing was damaged at the tip and was separated from the airframe, lying about 20 metres away. After this initial impact the plane had cartwheeled, breaking up. There was no fire. This was not a survivable accident.