What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft crashed while crop dustng. (-4)examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The wings were crushed symmetrically at an angle corresponding to a pitch of 90 degrees nose down. The propeller RPM gage was trapped at 1900 RPM and the torque gage was trapped at about 600 foot pounds. During a personal interview a pilot who had worked closely with the accident pilot, reported that the accident pilot would typically fly to a spraying site at 600 to 700 feet. He said the accident pilot would typically retard the engine torque to about 600 foot pounds to prevent excessive airspeed during the descent to the site and would subsequently need to add power during maneuvering.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT CRASHED WHILE CROP DUSTNG. (-4)EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE WINGS WERE CRUSHED SYMMETRICALLY AT AN ANGLE CORRESPONDING TO A PITCH OF 90 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. THE PROPELLER RPM GAGE WAS TRAPPED AT 1900 RPM AND THE TORQUE GAGE WAS TRAPPED AT ABOUT 600 FOOT POUNDS. DURING A PERSONAL INTERVIEW A PILOT WHO HAD WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE ACCIDENT PILOT, REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT WOULD TYPICALLY FLY TO A SPRAYING SITE AT 600 TO 700 FEET. HE SAID THE ACCIDENT PILOT WOULD TYPICALLY RETARD THE ENGINE TORQUE TO ABOUT 600 FOOT POUNDS TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED DURING THE DESCENT TO THE SITE AND WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY NEED TO ADD POWER DURING MANEUVERING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.