What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 25, 2004 N478Q a Cessna A188B ser. No. 18802315T was destroyed by fire following an emergency landing in an agricultural field. The aircraft was applying urea fertilizer prior to this accident. The pilot reported by radio to persons on the ground that he was having a power loss with unusual sounds coming from the engine. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude approximately 100-500 feet. The aircraft stalled, spun to the right, went inverted, then nose down the aircraft impacted the ground in the same field in which he was operating. Upon hitting the ground the aircraft came to rest on its main landing gear. The pilot observed flames coming out of the right side from the wing fuel tanks area. The pilot immediately exited the aircraft on the left side.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 25, 2004 N478Q A CESSNA A188B SER. NO. 18802315T WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE FOLLOWING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN AGRICULTURAL FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPLYING UREA FERTILIZER PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT. THE PILOT REPORTED BY RADIO TO PERSONS ON THE GROUND THAT HE WAS HAVING A POWER LOSS WITH UNUSUAL SOUNDS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE APPROXIMATELY 100-500 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, SPUN TO THE RIGHT, WENT INVERTED, THEN NOSE DOWN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN THE SAME FIELD IN WHICH HE WAS OPERATING. UPON HITTING THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT OBSERVED FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE RIGHT SIDE FROM THE WING FUEL TANKS AREA. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT ON THE LEFT SIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.