What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 07-20-08 at approx. 0800 hrs local the aircraft departed lakin airport (36K)on an agricultural spray mission. Prior to departure 375 gal of chemical mix and 40 gal of fuel were added to the aircrat. After fueling it was noted that the left tank contained approx. 1/2 and the right tank was approx. 3/4 full. During the spray operation 2 fields adjacent to each other were sprayed using the reverse race track pattern. For the last pass the pilot climbed over a set of powerlines on the south side of the field and sprayed allowing the chemical to drift under the powerlines. During this operation the pilot slipped the aircraft with the left wing up for the length of the field. Following this pass the pilot executed a 60 degree climbing right turn. During this turn the pilot was not looking at the instruments, but looking at the spray pattern. At approx. 100 ft AGL the pilot attempted to level the aircraft on a west heading, but was unable to. The right wing continued to drop followed by the nose. The pilot attempted to add power to the aircraft, the the engine did not respond. The aircraft struck a irrigation pivot with the right wing causing the aircraft to impact the ground in a vertical position sliding to a stop inverted.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 07-20-08 AT APPROX. 0800 HRS LOCAL THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LAKIN AIRPORT (36K)ON AN AGRICULTURAL SPRAY MISSION. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE 375 GAL OF CHEMICAL MIX AND 40 GAL OF FUEL WERE ADDED TO THE AIRCRAT. AFTER FUELING IT WAS NOTED THAT THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED APPROX. 1/2 AND THE RIGHT TANK WAS APPROX. 3/4 FULL. DURING THE SPRAY OPERATION 2 FIELDS ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER WERE SPRAYED USING THE REVERSE RACE TRACK PATTERN. FOR THE LAST PASS THE PILOT CLIMBED OVER A SET OF POWERLINES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE FIELD AND SPRAYED ALLOWING THE CHEMICAL TO DRIFT UNDER THE POWERLINES. DURING THIS OPERATION THE PILOT SLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE LEFT WING UP FOR THE LENGTH OF THE FIELD. FOLLOWING THIS PASS THE PILOT EXECUTED A 60 DEGREE CLIMBING RIGHT TURN. DURING THIS TURN THE PILOT WAS NOT LOOKING AT THE INSTRUMENTS, BUT LOOKING AT THE SPRAY PATTERN. AT APPROX. 100 FT AGL THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE AIRCRAFT ON A WEST HEADING, BUT WAS UNABLE TO. THE RIGHT WING CONTINUED TO DROP FOLLOWED BY THE NOSE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER TO THE AIRCRAFT, THE THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A IRRIGATION PIVOT WITH THE RIGHT WING CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO IMPACT THE GROUND IN A VERTICAL POSITION SLIDING TO A STOP INVERTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.