What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 31, 2002, at 1340 central daylight time, a Wsk pzl mielec, M-18A, N6236M, owned and operated by valley air applicator, collided with the ground while maneuvering for an aerial application swath run in Indianola, Mississippi. The aerial application flight was operated under the provisions of title 49 CFR part 137 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was fatally injured. The aerial application flight departed Indianola, Mississippi, at an undetermined time. Circumstances of the accident are not known, however, according to an eyewitness, white smoke was observed coming from the airplane before the accident. (-23) the aircraft was an agricultural aircraft, performing a spraying operation. Witnesses saw the aircraft in a turn, then pitch nose down and impact the ground. The pilot was killed and the aircraft substantially damaged.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 31, 2002, AT 1340 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A WSK PZL MIELEC, M-18A, N6236M, OWNED AND OPERATED BY VALLEY AIR APPLICATOR, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE MANEUVERING FOR AN AERIAL APPLICATION SWATH RUN IN INDIANOLA, MISSISSIPPI. THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 49 CFR PART 137 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT DEPARTED INDIANOLA, MISSISSIPPI, AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT ARE NOT KNOWN, HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO AN EYEWITNESS, WHITE SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE AIRPLANE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. (-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS AN AGRICULTURAL AIRCRAFT, PERFORMING A SPRAYING OPERATION. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT IN A TURN, THEN PITCH NOSE DOWN AND IMPACT THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS KILLED AND THE AIRCRAFT SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.