What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Fuel exhausttion returning to base after spray operation. Wing hit a tree landing on a road. (-23) on 07/06/98 about 0620 EDT pilot departed belle glade airport VMC with full fuel load and at 0715, landed at staging strip. At 0750, the pilot departed and landed at 0800. Pilot had power loss about 0900 hours. He attempted landing on road, veered to left to avoid hitting road sign on his right and hit a palm bush with left wing and as a result experienced loss of aircraft control. The pilot was not injured. Aircraft had substantial damage to tail, fuselage, and both wings.
As the FAA filed it
FUEL EXHAUSTTION RETURNING TO BASE AFTER SPRAY OPERATION. WING HIT A TREE LANDING ON A ROAD. (-23) ON 07/06/98 ABOUT 0620 EDT PILOT DEPARTED BELLE GLADE AIRPORT VMC WITH FULL FUEL LOAD AND AT 0715, LANDED AT STAGING STRIP. AT 0750, THE PILOT DEPARTED AND LANDED AT 0800. PILOT HAD POWER LOSS ABOUT 0900 HOURS. HE ATTEMPTED LANDING ON ROAD, VEERED TO LEFT TO AVOID HITTING ROAD SIGN ON HIS RIGHT AND HIT A PALM BUSH WITH LEFT WING AND AS A RESULT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. AIRCRAFT HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO TAIL, FUSELAGE, AND BOTH WINGS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.