What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot privacy data omitted stated he was starting his second pass of the aerial application flight, when he became distracted setting up his "GPS unit for swath guidance." He stated he looked up and suddenly found himself in a box canyon with rising terrain and no room to reverse direction. He jettisoned his 1000 pound load of seed trying to lighten the aircraft but still lacked enough lift to get the aircraft turned around. The aircraft struck a tree with the right wing. After coming to a stop the aircraft engine caught fire consuming the aircraft. Only the outer wing sections remained unburned. The pilot managed to egress the aircraft and climb clear through the burning brush, receiving minor burns to his arm and hands.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE WAS STARTING HIS SECOND PASS OF THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, WHEN HE BECAME DISTRACTED SETTING UP HIS "GPS UNIT FOR SWATH GUIDANCE." HE STATED HE LOOKED UP AND SUDDENLY FOUND HIMSELF IN A BOX CANYON WITH RISING TERRAIN AND NO ROOM TO REVERSE DIRECTION. HE JETTISONED HIS 1000 POUND LOAD OF SEED TRYING TO LIGHTEN THE AIRCRAFT BUT STILL LACKED ENOUGH LIFT TO GET THE AIRCRAFT TURNED AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE WITH THE RIGHT WING. AFTER COMING TO A STOP THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE CONSUMING THE AIRCRAFT. ONLY THE OUTER WING SECTIONS REMAINED UNBURNED. THE PILOT MANAGED TO EGRESS THE AIRCRAFT AND CLIMB CLEAR THROUGH THE BURNING BRUSH, RECEIVING MINOR BURNS TO HIS ARM AND HANDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N6024M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.