What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)The pilot was flying east, dispensing malathion on a cotton crop, when he collided with irrigation system. Pilot failed to see the irrigation sprinkler in time to clear it, he started a climb, but his landing gear was torn off in the collision. The pilot made a small turn to the right and made an immediate emergency landing in the cotton field without the main wheels attached. It was mid afternoon in the summer and the pilot was watching for, and trying to avoid thermals in the form of "dust devils" or "whirl winds". His attention was diverted and he saw the irrigatin sustem too late to avoid contact. The pilot was not injuried, but the carry through spar and the right wing main spar were damaged when the landing gear was torn off or during the emergency landing.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)THE PILOT WAS FLYING EAST, DISPENSING MALATHION ON A COTTON CROP, WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH IRRIGATION SYSTEM. PILOT FAILED TO SEE THE IRRIGATION SPRINKLER IN TIME TO CLEAR IT, HE STARTED A CLIMB, BUT HIS LANDING GEAR WAS TORN OFF IN THE COLLISION. THE PILOT MADE A SMALL TURN TO THE RIGHT AND MADE AN IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE COTTON FIELD WITHOUT THE MAIN WHEELS ATTACHED. IT WAS MID AFTERNOON IN THE SUMMER AND THE PILOT WAS WATCHING FOR, AND TRYING TO AVOID THERMALS IN THE FORM OF "DUST DEVILS" OR "WHIRL WINDS". HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED AND HE SAW THE IRRIGATIN SUSTEM TOO LATE TO AVOID CONTACT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURIED, BUT THE CARRY THROUGH SPAR AND THE RIGHT WING MAIN SPAR WERE DAMAGED WHEN THE LANDING GEAR WAS TORN OFF OR DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.