What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft was involved in aerial application when it came in too close to the field and crashed. (.4) in his written statement, the pilot said that while en route to the fields to be sprayed, he was distracted by problems with the on board 'global positioning flagger' equipment. 'I called the base to get assistance on getting the light bar to work. After circling the field several times, I discovered that I had inadvertently turned the light bar off and I switched it back on.' The pilot circled around to re-enter the field on which he made his first aerial application pass. He reported that upon completing his second pass he observed another ag-plane entering the area. The pilot reported that because of the distraction, and the downwind turn, he was '...wide off my mark.' The pilot maneuvered the airplane to line up on the field. 'As I entered the field, I realized that I was having a problem with lift. But before I was able to increase throttle or dump the load, the plane was starting to sink in the corn.' The airplane then impacted into the field and came to a stop. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT WAS INVOLVED IN AERIAL APPLICATION WHEN IT CAME IN TOO CLOSE TO THE FIELD AND CRASHED. (.4) IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE EN ROUTE TO THE FIELDS TO BE SPRAYED, HE WAS DISTRACTED BY PROBLEMS WITH THE ON BOARD 'GLOBAL POSITIONING FLAGGER' EQUIPMENT. 'I CALLED THE BASE TO GET ASSISTANCE ON GETTING THE LIGHT BAR TO WORK. AFTER CIRCLING THE FIELD SEVERAL TIMES, I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD INADVERTENTLY TURNED THE LIGHT BAR OFF AND I SWITCHED IT BACK ON.' THE PILOT CIRCLED AROUND TO RE-ENTER THE FIELD ON WHICH HE MADE HIS FIRST AERIAL APPLICATION PASS. HE REPORTED THAT UPON COMPLETING HIS SECOND PASS HE OBSERVED ANOTHER AG-PLANE ENTERING THE AREA. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT BECAUSE OF THE DISTRACTION, AND THE DOWNWIND TURN, HE WAS '...WIDE OFF MY MARK.' THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO LINE UP ON THE FIELD. 'AS I ENTERED THE FIELD, I REALIZED THAT I WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH LIFT. BUT BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO INCREASE THROTTLE OR DUMP THE LOAD, THE PLANE WAS STARTING TO SINK IN THE CORN.' THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED INTO THE FIELD AND CAME TO A STOP. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.