Structural failure — agricultural aircraft wire strike, WA

Summary

An Air Tractor AT-402B conducting a broadleaf weed treatment application struck a communication tower guy wire at low level near Geraldton. The left wing leading edge was severely damaged and the aircraft lost control. The pilot ejected via the emergency door and sustained serious injuries. The aircraft was destroyed.

Investigation Findings (4)

1. 01The communication tower was registered on the ERSA obstacle register but was not included in the operator's local area obstruction chart.
2. 02The operator's chart update process had a 60-day lag from the ERSA publication date.
3. 03CASA mandated that aerial agricultural operators implement a real-time obstruction data verification process before each season.
4. 04ATSB recommended a national registration database for communication infrastructure to be accessible to aviation operators.