Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Hamilton: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1974 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
VH-BSY
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hamilton - Hamilton
MSN:
1563
YOM:
1964
Location:
Hamilton
Tasmania
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
2804
Captain / Total hours on type:
1500.00
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a local spraying mission in the region of Hamilton, Tasmania. While cruising at an altitude of 500 feet, the pilot-in-command initiated a left turn and descended till 50 feet when the airplane struck power cables. On impact, the left wing was torn off and the aircraft crashed in flames. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that a power line was installed few days prior to the accident and apparently, the pilot was not aware of it. The crew has been briefed before flight but the chief pilots failed to inform the crew of the presence of the power line as he was convinced the crew was already aware of its presence.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24 in Pukekohe: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1974 at 0802 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-BVB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
67
YOM:
1957
Location:
Pukekohe
Auckland Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot had flown from the farm earlier in the morning before going away for about two hours and then returning. At about 08:00 the property owner saw the plane approaching and making a low run over the airstrip apparently in order to frighten away some cattle obstructing the landing area.. The owner, a pilot himself, had experienced a similar situation before and went move the stock out of the way. He had lost sight of the aircraft for a brief period when he heard a bang and then the plane came back into view, rolling to starboard until inverted, and diving vertically into a hillside and exploding. Ground evidence showed that the Fletcher had struck with its right wing tip a 400 pound ( 180 kg ) cattle beast, killing the animal and dislodging the metal wing tip fairing which was found nearby with its leading edge crushed. Starting a few metres further on a 46 metres long scrape mark was visible on the surface having been made by the exposed end of the outer wing. The aircraft then collided with the corner of a hangar, the outboard end of the right wing contacting the building about 2.5 metres above ground level and 1 metre below the top. This impact caused the separation of the right outer wing panel. The plane, now out of control, cleared the top of another hangar and adjacent tall trees before diving into a hillside, exploding in flames and breaking up as it tumbled down the slope. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The investigator found that control was lost with the separation of the outer wing wing panel on impact with the hangar. Aileron control had survived the collision with the animal. Factors that may have contributed to the accident were the altitude and azimuth of the morning sun which may have dazzled the pilot and the possibility that the aircraft was affected by its own wake turbulence created by the first low run down the airstrip.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Yegorlykskaya: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1974 at 0950 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-33225
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Yegorlykskaya - Yegorlykskaya
MSN:
1G57-28
YOM:
1965
Location:
Yegorlykskaya
Rostov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
5558
Aircraft flight cycles:
19860
Circumstances:
While on a crop spraying flight for the sovkhoz (state farm) im. Kirova in the Yegorlykskaya district of the Rostov region, the crew encountered below minima weather conditions (poor visibility) due to thick fog. On approach, the pilot was unable to locate the airfield and decided to descend at an unsafe altitude when the airplane struck the ground and crashed in flames in a snow covered field located 1 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by fire and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Poor flight organization and wrong decision on part of the crew who decided to continue the approach in below minima weather conditions.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2 Turbo Porter in Sudan

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
National Agricultural Organisation
Registration:
ST-AEV
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
666
YOM:
1968
Location:
Sudan
All Sudan
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Sudan. Occupant's fate unknown.

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24 in Orakei

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-CDW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Auckland - Auckland
MSN:
90
YOM:
1962
Location:
Auckland
Auckland Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Orakei, in the suburb of Auckland, while engaged in a spraying mission.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Tashauz: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1973 at 0719 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70212
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G138-30
YOM:
1972
Location:
Tashauz
Daşoguz Province (Daşoguz welaýaty)
Country:
Turkmenistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
1029
Aircraft flight cycles:
3275
Circumstances:
During a crop-spraying flight for the sovkhoz (state farm) "40 let Turkmenskoi SSR" in the region of Tashauz, the single engine airplane collided at a height of 4 metres with a telephone pole located near the villages of Kommunizm and Udarnik (north-west of Tashauz) while flying against the low morning sun. The airplane crashed 120 metres further on, came to rest upside down, caught fire and burnt out. The captain was seriously injured while the copilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The crew failed to sea and avoid the telegraph pole while flying against the sun.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Samarkand

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1973
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-32213
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Samarkand - Samarkand
MSN:
1G95-25
YOM:
1968
Location:
Samarkand
Samarkand Province (Samarqand viloyati)
Country:
Uzbekistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after liftoff, an undercarriage hit an earth wall. The aircraft stalled and crashed. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2 Turbo Porter in Ad-Damazin

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
National Agricultural Organisation
Registration:
ST-AEU
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
616
YOM:
1966
Location:
Ad-Damazin
Blue Nile (النيل الأزرق)
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while completing a crop spraying mission.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2SKh near Saatly: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1973 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-79827
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1160 473 19
YOM:
1961
Location:
Saatly
Aran
Country:
Azerbaijan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
4710
Aircraft flight cycles:
16345
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a crop spraying flight over cotton field of the kolkhoz (collective farm) im. M.F. Akhundova in the Saatly district of Azerbaijan. While cruising at a height of 20-25 meters, the engine failed after a bird-strike. As an immediate forced landing was not possible due to the terrain topography, the crew made a left turn when the aircraft struck the high embankment of a canal and crashed. The captain was injured while the copilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Bird strike.
Subscribe to Spraying (Agricultural)