What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was finising an aerial application for the day approximately 12 miles southeast of Imperial Municipal Airport. During the final two applications the pilot noted the winds were increasing due to a frontal boundary entering the area. After the final application the pilot turned back towards the airport and noted 1/4 fuel in one tank and 1/8 fuel in the other tank. Approximately 1 1/2 miles final to the airport, the engine experienced complete power failure. The pilot initiated emergency procedures and attempted to land in a recently plowed field. The pilot tried to 3 point land the aircraft however, due to the recent rains and the field conditions being soft, the main landing gear penetrated the plowed soil approximately 1 1/2 feet deep causing a very rapid deceleration. The momentum of the aircraft caused the nose of the aircraft to become embedded into the soil causing the aircraft to become inverted. The pilot, the sole occupant was not injured and escaped from the wreckage on his own. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the tail and the propeller. The right wing and the canopy sustained minor damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS FINISING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FOR THE DAY APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES SOUTHEAST OF IMPERIAL MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. DURING THE FINAL TWO APPLICATIONS THE PILOT NOTED THE WINDS WERE INCREASING DUE TO A FRONTAL BOUNDARY ENTERING THE AREA. AFTER THE FINAL APPLICATION THE PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT AND NOTED 1/4 FUEL IN ONE TANK AND 1/8 FUEL IN THE OTHER TANK. APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 MILES FINAL TO THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE POWER FAILURE. THE PILOT INITIATED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A RECENTLY PLOWED FIELD. THE PILOT TRIED TO 3 POINT LAND THE AIRCRAFT HOWEVER, DUE TO THE RECENT RAINS AND THE FIELD CONDITIONS BEING SOFT, THE MAIN LANDING GEAR PENETRATED THE PLOWED SOIL APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 FEET DEEP CAUSING A VERY RAPID DECELERATION. THE MOMENTUM OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME EMBEDDED INTO THE SOIL CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME INVERTED. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT WAS NOT INJURED AND ESCAPED FROM THE WRECKAGE ON HIS OWN. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAIL AND THE PROPELLER. THE RIGHT WING AND THE CANOPY SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.