What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While maneuvering to get into position for the initial run on the field, after a 200’ recon, the pilot reported he was unable to maintain terrain separation and airspeed. The accident occurred north and east of the field in the higher terrain. The terrain rises to the north and east of the field. The hopper was full, 2500 lbs. Of dry fertilizer, and the airplane had 100 gallons of jet fuel on board. The pilot reported he began to dump the load and went to full power and was not able to out climb the terrain or turn toward lower terrain due to lack of airspeed. The airplane settled onto uneven rough terrain. The landing gear was sheered off as the airplane went over a ditch and turned 90 degrees to the left. The pilot stated a wind shear/downdraft contributed to the loss of altitude and airspeed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE MANEUVERING TO GET INTO POSITION FOR THE INITIAL RUN ON THE FIELD, AFTER A 200’ RECON, THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN TERRAIN SEPARATION AND AIRSPEED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED NORTH AND EAST OF THE FIELD IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN. THE TERRAIN RISES TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE FIELD. THE HOPPER WAS FULL, 2500 LBS. OF DRY FERTILIZER, AND THE AIRPLANE HAD 100 GALLONS OF JET FUEL ON BOARD. THE PILOT REPORTED HE BEGAN TO DUMP THE LOAD AND WENT TO FULL POWER AND WAS NOT ABLE TO OUT CLIMB THE TERRAIN OR TURN TOWARD LOWER TERRAIN DUE TO LACK OF AIRSPEED. THE AIRPLANE SETTLED ONTO UNEVEN ROUGH TERRAIN. THE LANDING GEAR WAS SHEERED OFF AS THE AIRPLANE WENT OVER A DITCH AND TURNED 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STATED A WIND SHEAR/DOWNDRAFT CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.