What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At about 0545 MST the aircraft collided with terrain 6 miles west of the Yuma international airport, Yuma AZ. The airplane was engaged in agricultural operations under 14 CFR 137, releasing live moths over fields. The aircraft normally flies at 500 feet AGL while releasing the moths. A review of radar tracking information showed the pilot made a right hand turn into the sun at the moment of sunrise. The propeller and windscreen of the aircraft both contained what appeared to be the remains of a bird strike. A witness who lives across from the cotton field where the accident occurred stated that he was walking into a shed after picking squash when he looked up and saw the aircraft descending into the ground. This was followed by a fire, then an explosion. The witness stated he heard the engine running as it crossed overhead but could not determine if it was under full power. Other persons in the area reported hearing the aircraft orbiting the fields and several of them reported hearing they could hear the engine running up to the point where the aircraft struck the ground.
As the FAA filed it
AT ABOUT 0545 MST THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN 6 MILES WEST OF THE YUMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, YUMA AZ. THE AIRPLANE WAS ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS UNDER 14 CFR 137, RELEASING LIVE MOTHS OVER FIELDS. THE AIRCRAFT NORMALLY FLIES AT 500 FEET AGL WHILE RELEASING THE MOTHS. A REVIEW OF RADAR TRACKING INFORMATION SHOWED THE PILOT MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN INTO THE SUN AT THE MOMENT OF SUNRISE. THE PROPELLER AND WINDSCREEN OF THE AIRCRAFT BOTH CONTAINED WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE REMAINS OF A BIRD STRIKE. A WITNESS WHO LIVES ACROSS FROM THE COTTON FIELD WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED STATED THAT HE WAS WALKING INTO A SHED AFTER PICKING SQUASH WHEN HE LOOKED UP AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING INTO THE GROUND. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A FIRE, THEN AN EXPLOSION. THE WITNESS STATED HE HEARD THE ENGINE RUNNING AS IT CROSSED OVERHEAD BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE IF IT WAS UNDER FULL POWER.OTHER PERSONS IN THE AREA REPORTED HEARING THE AIRCRAFT ORBITING THE FIELDS AND SEVERAL OF THEM REPORTED HEARING THEY COULD HEAR THE ENGINE RUNNING UP TO THE POINT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.