Spraying (Agricultural)

Following crop-spraying operations for the sovkhoz (state farm) "Obilny" in the Adamovka district of the Orenburg region, the intoxicated pilot performed unauthorized manoeuvre at low height when he lost control of the airplane that crashed 5 km east of the administrative building of the farm. The pilot and the sole passenger (an intoxicated aircraft mechanic) were killed. It was reported that the pilot blood alcohol level was 3‰ and 0,8‰ for the passenger.

While on a crop-spraying flight for the sovkhoz (state farm) 'Rossiya' located in the Altai district of Khakassia, the crew got distracted from piloting for unknown reason. While flying a turn at a height of some 15-20 metres, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located about 45 km south of Abakan. A pilot and the passenger, a local guide, were killed, while the second pilot was seriously injured.

The aircraft was engaged in a local spraying mission, carrying a crew of three and a load of 3,666 gallons of insecticides. After takeoff from runway 23, while in initial climb, the airplane entered a flat attitude then descended until it struck trees and crashed in flames about 3 km southwest of the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire and all three crew members were killed.

The crew was engaged in a crop spraying flight (herbicides on corn field) for the sovkhoz (state farm) 'Gornyak' located in the Starobeshevo district of the Donetsk region. While flying at a height of about 50 meters, the captain made a sharp turn to the right when the airplane lost height and crashed 3,5 km west of Hirnyk. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire, a pilot was killed as the second occupant was seriously injured.

The crew was engaged in a crop spraying mission in the region of Union Springs and departed Montgomery-Franklin Airport in the early morning. While flying at low height above a wooded area, the airplane struck tree tops and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed.

Following a power loss the pilot attempted a forced landing on a relatively level hilltop, but during the roll the nosewheel entered a deep depression and was forced rearward and upward into the cockpit floor. Fire broke out in the engine bay immediately thereafter and flashed back into the cockpit as the pilot opened the canopy to escape. The pilot evacuated safely while the aircraft was written off.

While completing a crop spraying flight, the pilot lost control of the airplane after the right wing detached in flight. The aircraft crashed in an open field and was destroyed. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Lake Waihola while on a crop spraying mission. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The pilot was engaged in a superphosphate spreading operation over hilly farmland. Just before noon he took off on his 72nd sortie of the day with the usual load of 14 hundredweight in the hopper. On the completion of the first sowing run the aircraft was turned to position it for the next run. As usual this put the plane out of sight to those on the airstrip as it passed behind an intervening spur. At about the time the plane was expected to reappear a loud bang was heard by the crew on the strip, and moments later a column of smoke was seen rising from behind the spur. The aircraft was found wrecked and burning. This was not a survivable crash. Physical evidence at the site showed that the Fletcher had struck the ground with its right wingtip first while banked past the vertical with the fuselage then impacting in a perpendicular attitude. Propeller score marks on the pasture indicated that the engine was developing power at the moment of the crash. The weather was fine and clear with a southwesterly breeze of about 5 knots. Not a cause factor in the accident. The pilot had recently completed an agricultural pilot course and had almost accumulated the fifty hours of supervised productive flying required before being cleared for unsupervised operations.

Late in the afternoon of 30/8/72 two aircraft were conducting an aerial topdressing operation at Clayton Station. One of the pilots observed the other aircraft operating normally. When he looked again moments later he saw smoke and flames on the side of a ridge in the working area. Realizing that there had been an accident he immediately flew back to the airstrip and raised the alarm. ZK-CFQ had struck the ground with its port wingtip while making a 180 degree RH turn within the confines of a valley. Physical evidence showed that the plane was banked at an angle of 68 degrees when the wingtip touched the slope. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and fuel from a ruptured tank ignited completing the destruction. Evidence also showed that the engine was producing high power at the moment of impact. The all-up weight and C of G were found to be well within the permitted limits. The other pilot reported seeing an interruption in the flow of fertilizer in the final sowing run, but there was no sign of a blockage in the hopper outlet. The hopper was empty. The weather was perfect for aerial topdressing, CAVU and still air. An autopsy revealed that the 34-year-old pilot had received no fatal injuries in the impact, but there was evidence of coronary occlusion due to arteriosclerosis heart disease. It was concluded that the pilot had died from a heart attack and traumatic hypoxia. It was not clear if the heart attack occurred before or at the time of impact. It would appear however, from the steep angle of bank so close to the ground, that pilot had become incapacitated and had lost control of his aircraft.
Source: ASN