What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 4-27-2008 at approximately 0830 local time the pilot privacy data omitted was acting as pilot in command of N1519U, an air tractor AT-502 operated by beck's spray service. The pilot privacy data omitted departed the airport (a private field, west of Dayton, WA off highway 12) east bound with the intent of spraying a field to the east of the airport. Shortly after departure he made an initial right turn to provide spacing between the aircraft and the hillside he was going to spray. He then intiated a left turn toward the field. In doing so, he realized he misjudged how close he was and was going to impact the hillside. In an attempt to land as level as possible he pulled back and leveled the aircraft. He collided with the hillside and rising terrain approximately 2.0 miles east of the private field he had just departed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the empennage, propeller, tailwheel, right main landing gear, spray equipment and damage to both wings.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 4-27-2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 0830 LOCAL TIME THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF N1519U, AN AIR TRACTOR AT-502 OPERATED BY BECK'S SPRAY SERVICE. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED THE AIRPORT (A PRIVATE FIELD, WEST OF DAYTON, WA OFF HIGHWAY 12) EAST BOUND WITH THE INTENT OF SPRAYING A FIELD TO THE EAST OF THE AIRPORT. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE HE MADE AN INITIAL RIGHT TURN TO PROVIDE SPACING BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT AND THE HILLSIDE HE WAS GOING TO SPRAY. HE THEN INTIATED A LEFT TURN TOWARD THE FIELD. IN DOING SO, HE REALIZED HE MISJUDGED HOW CLOSE HE WAS AND WAS GOING TO IMPACT THE HILLSIDE. IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND AS LEVEL AS POSSIBLE HE PULLED BACK AND LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT. HE COLLIDED WITH THE HILLSIDE AND RISING TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 2.0 MILES EAST OF THE PRIVATE FIELD HE HAD JUST DEPARTED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE, PROPELLER, TAILWHEEL, RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, SPRAY EQUIPMENT AND DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS.
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 N1519U · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.