What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft was involved with aerial application when its right wing struck a tree, and the acft struck the ground and cartwheeled, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) pilot stated that during swath run into field his windscreen became contaminated with overspray and he pulled up and went around. The pilot stated that he was able to clear windscreen enough to complete the run. During the second run in, the pilot hopped a power line and a tree, however he failed to negotiate a second tree and struck the tops with the right wing. The aircraft began an immediate hard roll to the right with several revolutions. Counter control was ineffective. The aircraft struck right wing down and sheared the engine, right wing and landing gear. Damage was substantial. Pilot compartment remained in tack, pilot received minor injuries. (.4) the aerial application airplane's right wing collided with a tree while working a pattern that was oriented in an east-west direction, causing the airplane to impact the terrain and cartwheel. The pilot reported that during insecticide application some overspray accumulated on the windscreen, leaving an oily residue that obscured his vision when his direction of flight headed into the sun.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT WAS INVOLVED WITH AERIAL APPLICATION WHEN ITS RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE, AND THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND AND CARTWHEELED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) PILOT STATED THAT DURING SWATH RUN INTO FIELD HIS WINDSCREEN BECAME CONTAMINATED WITH OVERSPRAY AND HE PULLED UP AND WENT AROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO CLEAR WINDSCREEN ENOUGH TO COMPLETE THE RUN. DURING THE SECOND RUN IN, THE PILOT HOPPED A POWER LINE AND A TREE, HOWEVER HE FAILED TO NEGOTIATE A SECOND TREE AND STRUCK THE TOPS WITH THE RIGHT WING. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE HARD ROLL TO THE RIGHT WITH SEVERAL REVOLUTIONS. COUNTER CONTROL WAS INEFFECTIVE. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK RIGHT WING DOWN AND SHEARED THE ENGINE, RIGHT WING AND LANDING GEAR. DAMAGE WAS SUBSTANTIAL. PILOT COMPARTMENT REMAINED IN TACK, PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. (.4) THE AERIAL APPLICATION AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH A TREE WHILE WORKING A PATTERN THAT WAS ORIENTED IN AN EAST-WEST DIRECTION, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO IMPACT THE TERRAIN AND CARTWHEEL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING INSECTICIDE APPLICATION SOME OVERSPRAY ACCUMULATED ON THE WINDSCREEN, LEAVING AN OILY RESIDUE THAT OBSCURED HIS VISION WHEN HIS DIRECTION OF FLIGHT HEADED INTO THE SUN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.