What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was initiating his second pass during an aerial application operation over a cornfield. After setting-up for an east to west run, he failed to adequately arrest the aircrafts descent rate. The aircraft contacted cornstalks causing a progressive loss of airspeed which led to eventual ground contact. The pilot stated that when he realized that his aircraft was "in the corn" his focus was on making ground contact in a wings level attitude. Power was reduced prior to ground impact. The pilot sustained no injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage in a post impact fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS INITIATING HIS SECOND PASS DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATION OVER A CORNFIELD. AFTER SETTING-UP FOR AN EAST TO WEST RUN, HE FAILED TO ADEQUATELY ARREST THE AIRCRAFTS DESCENT RATE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED CORNSTALKS CAUSING A PROGRESSIVE LOSS OF AIRSPEED WHICH LED TO EVENTUAL GROUND CONTACT. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE REALIZED THAT HIS AIRCRAFT WAS "IN THE CORN" HIS FOCUS WAS ON MAKING GROUND CONTACT IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. POWER WAS REDUCED PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. THE PILOT SUSTAINED NO INJURY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IN A POST IMPACT FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.