What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 27, 2009, at approximately 09:30 am eastern standard time, aircraft N7339Z was practicing aerial application (spraying) on a farm field three miles east of Bainbridge airport. Piloted by a foreign (canadian) pilot, michael marinus vandenberg, the aircraft entered into field for the seventh practice pass spraying water. The field was approximately 3,200 feet long with trees at both ends. At the 3/4 mark, passing across the field, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power and made an emergency landing in said field. The aircraft touched down at approximately 185 feet from the tree line. The pilot was unable to stop the aircraft and ground maneuvered between two trees, causing substantial damage to the left and right wings. The prop indicated that the engine was not making power. Prop had one tip, slightly bent backwards four inches from tip. The right wing came into contact first and damaged the outboard section of the wing. The right wing tip fairing came off the wing coming to rest at base of said tree. The left wing impacted a tree just outboard of the fuselage, bending the spar / wing forward at which, the tree was severed in half. Aircraft turned to the left about 40 degrees, traveling approximately 50 feet and coming to rest on an old tree pile.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 27, 2009, AT APPROXIMATELY 09:30 AM EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AIRCRAFT N7339Z WAS PRACTICING AERIAL APPLICATION (SPRAYING) ON A FARM FIELD THREE MILES EAST OF BAINBRIDGE AIRPORT. PILOTED BY A FOREIGN (CANADIAN) PILOT, MICHAEL MARINUS VANDENBERG, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED INTO FIELD FOR THE SEVENTH PRACTICE PASS SPRAYING WATER. THE FIELD WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,200 FEET LONG WITH TREES AT BOTH ENDS. AT THE 3/4 MARK, PASSING ACROSS THE FIELD, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN SAID FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AT APPROXIMATELY 185 FEET FROM THE TREE LINE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT AND GROUND MANEUVERED BETWEEN TWO TREES, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS. THE PROP INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT MAKING POWER. PROP HAD ONE TIP, SLIGHTLY BENT BACKWARDS FOUR INCHES FROM TIP. THE RIGHT WING CAME INTO CONTACT FIRST AND DAMAGED THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE WING. THE RIGHT WING TIP FAIRING CAME OFF THE WING COMING TO REST AT BASE OF SAID TREE. THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A TREE JUST OUTBOARD OF THE FUSELAGE, BENDING THE SPAR / WING FORWARD AT WHICH, THE TREE WAS SEVERED IN HALF. AIRCRAFT TURNED TO THE LEFT ABOUT 40 DEGREES, TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AND COMING TO REST ON AN OLD TREE PILE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.