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

Date & Time: Jul 13, 2020 at 0337 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-40851
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bol’shoye Boldino - Bol’shoye Boldino
MSN:
1G174-47
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
5036
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1400
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a spraying mission near the village of Kistenovo, about six km north of Bol'shoye Boldino Airfield. While flying at a low height against sunrise, the crew failed to see and avoid power cables. The single engine airplane collided with cables and a concrete post before crashing in a cornfield, bursting into flames. The copilot was killed and the captain was seriously injured. He died two days later from his injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident with the An-2 RA-40851 aircraft was the collision of the aircraft with a reinforced concrete support and power transmission lines in a controlled flight while performing the aerial application at an extremely low altitude.
The contributing factors most likely were:
- Field processing when the sun is less than 15° above the horizon and the sun's heading angle is less than 30°,
- Insufficient prudence of the PIC when performing a VFR flight for aerial application,
- Failure of the pilot to take into account the presence of artificial obstacles in the flight area,
- Lack of marking of power lines.
Final Report: