What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 28, 1996, at 1700 CDT, an air tractor, model AT-401, aircraft, N1549D, impacted the ground near Monticello, Louisiana. The commercial rated pilot sustained fatal injuries. Subsequent investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies. Witnesses reported sighting the aircraft in a parallel runway position for a landing on runway 18, then the pilot initiated a right turn and the aircraft "fell" to the ground before completion of the turn. Weather conditions, as reported by other pilots in the area, were as follows: heavy rain showers 1.5 miles south of landing strip, winds of 15+knots with heavy gusts from the south.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 28, 1996, AT 1700 CDT, AN AIR TRACTOR, MODEL AT-401, AIRCRAFT, N1549D, IMPACTED THE GROUND NEAR MONTICELLO, LOUISIANA. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. WITNESSES REPORTED SIGHTING THE AIRCRAFT IN A PARALLEL RUNWAY POSITION FOR A LANDING ON RUNWAY 18, THEN THE PILOT INITIATED A RIGHT TURN AND THE AIRCRAFT "FELL" TO THE GROUND BEFORE COMPLETION OF THE TURN. WEATHER CONDITIONS, AS REPORTED BY OTHER PILOTS IN THE AREA, WERE AS FOLLOWS: HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS 1.5 MILES SOUTH OF LANDING STRIP, WINDS OF 15+KNOTS WITH HEAVY GUSTS FROM THE SOUTH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.