What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) As reported by witnesses, the a/c was performing aerial applications when the left wing impacted a tree. The impact caused the left wing to separate from the fuselage. The a/c continued to fly up a hillside and began to roll while contacting several more trees. After clearing the hilltop the a/c crossed over a 2 lane highway impacting another hillside nose first and nearly inverted. The a/c fuselage came to rest on a gravel road, traversing the hillside, with the right wing, which was separated from the fuselage, beside it. The pilot was fatally injured after the a/c caught fire following the impact with the hillside.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AS REPORTED BY WITNESSES, THE A/C WAS PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATIONS WHEN THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A TREE. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE LEFT WING TO SEPARATE FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE A/C CONTINUED TO FLY UP A HILLSIDE AND BEGAN TO ROLL WHILE CONTACTING SEVERAL MORE TREES. AFTER CLEARING THE HILLTOP THE A/C CROSSED OVER A 2 LANE HIGHWAY IMPACTING ANOTHER HILLSIDE NOSE FIRST AND NEARLY INVERTED. THE A/C FUSELAGE CAME TO REST ON A GRAVEL ROAD, TRAVERSING THE HILLSIDE, WITH THE RIGHT WING, WHICH WAS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE, BESIDE IT. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AFTER THE A/C CAUGHT FIRE FOLLOWING THE IMPACT WITH THE HILLSIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.