What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot started his duty day at 0800 and had been flying all day spraying fields. At approximately 1530 he started flying a path going south into a corn field flying a very short area where he had to clear a tree line on both sides of the field. The aircraft hit trees on the south end of the field while trying to climb out. This area would be the northeast side of the wooded area that the aircraft ended up in. During initial contact the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Large sections of wing skin were found at this site. Also large broken tree branches were found in this area. The next point of contact was about 300 feet south to southwest. There was one wing and some spray nozzles found and more broken and cut tree branches. Continuing south 50 feet is the direct path through the trees going to the ground and the main impact area. The airspeed indicator was broken and stopped at 125 mph. The tree line shows both broken and cut tree limbs through the flight path area, indicating the engine was making power at least partway through the trees. The main fuselage was still intact, inverted with the pilot inside. There was no indication of any fire at the site.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STARTED HIS DUTY DAY AT 0800 AND HAD BEEN FLYING ALL DAY SPRAYING FIELDS. AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 HE STARTED FLYING A PATH GOING SOUTH INTO A CORN FIELD FLYING A VERY SHORT AREA WHERE HE HAD TO CLEAR A TREE LINE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT HIT TREES ON THE SOUTH END OF THE FIELD WHILE TRYING TO CLIMB OUT. THIS AREA WOULD BE THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF THE WOODED AREA THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENDED UP IN. DURING INITIAL CONTACT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. LARGE SECTIONS OF WING SKIN WERE FOUND AT THIS SITE. ALSO LARGE BROKEN TREE BRANCHES WERE FOUND IN THIS AREA. THE NEXT POINT OF CONTACT WAS ABOUT 300 FEET SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST. THERE WAS ONE WING AND SOME SPRAY NOZZLES FOUND AND MORE BROKEN AND CUT TREE BRANCHES. CONTINUING SOUTH 50 FEET IS THE DIRECT PATH THROUGH THE TREES GOING TO THE GROUND AND THE MAIN IMPACT AREA. THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR WAS BROKEN AND STOPPED AT 125 MPH. THE TREE LINE SHOWS BOTH BROKEN AND CUT TREE LIMBS THROUGH THE FLIGHT PATH AREA, INDICATING THE ENGINE WAS MAKING POWER AT LEAST PARTWAY THROUGH THE TREES. THE MAIN FUSELAGE WAS STILL INTACT, INVERTED WITH THE PILOT INSIDE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY FIRE AT THE SITE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.