ROSTOV-ON-DON, May 29 (RIA Novosti) - An Antonov An-2 biplane crashed in Russia's southern Krasnodar Region on Wednesday, killing the pilot, the local Emergencies Ministry reported.
"An An-2 crashed at 9:45 a.m. near the village of Yastrebovsky, while crop-spraying. The pilot was killed," Emergencies Ministry Spokeswoman Irina Gogoleva said.
Fire-fighters and rescue workers are at the scene. An investigation into the crash is underway.
Investigators said it appeared that the aircraft hit a power line before crashing.
“According to initial information, it appears the aircraft snagged a power line, which caused the accident,” the Investigative Committee said.
An almost identical accident took place on May 15, in which another An-2, which was also crop-spraying, hit a wire in nearby Stavropol Region.
Hundreds of An-2s remain in service in Russia despite the aircraft's age, due to its reliability and versatility. The first An-2 flew in 1947 and production ceased in 1992.
Updated at 3:20 with last four paragraphs with quote and previous accident details
