Pilot survives after crop-dusting plane flips while landing

Feb 13, 2020 News

A pilot conducting crop-dusting for rice farmers in the Mahaicony area, is lucky to be alive, after the aircraft flipped while landing at Burma.
In a private hospital up to last evening was 35-year-old Captain John Bart.

The plane that was involved in the incident and the crash scene near the airfield at Burma, Mahaicony yesterday.

According to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the incident occurred between 2:46pm and 3:07pm.
The aircraft, a S2R-T34 Turbine Thrush, bearing registration 8R-AAG, belongs to AG Air Inc., said to be a sister company of Air Services Limited Inc (ASL). The pilot was attempting to land at the airfield at Mahaica Abary Rice Development Scheme (MARDS). ASL manages the airfield.

The plane that was involved in the incident and the crash scene near the airfield at Burma, Mahaicony yesterday.

“At the time of the incident, the aircraft was conducting aerial work and was being flown by Captain John Bart. The pilot was rescued and transported to a city hospital where he is said to be in a stable condition. Captain Bart was the only person in the aircraft at the time,” GCAA said.
The authority said it had commenced investigation and a team will be dispatched to the airstrip this morning.
“Air Traffic Services sent out a NOTAM (a Notice to Airmen) advising of the closure of the MARDS airstrip until further notice. More details will follow as it becomes available.”
The Thrush aircraft employs a Satloc Bantam GPS Precision aerial application system which allows pilots to fly and spray in precise patterns using constant-rate flow control, thereby reducing fuel consumption and flying time, and consequently creating lower operating costs for farmers.