What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 04/02/2012, at approximately 09:00 (CDT) an Air tractor, N4544S, model 402A, s/n 402A-0782 was sebstantially damaged when the aircraft crashed into a field, after takeoff. The pilot stated that at takeoff, the windshield and side windows became covered with chemical escaping from the hopper cover and was unable to maintain visual reference or level flight. The aircraft was properly certificated for the local CFR part 137 flight originating from a private Air strip, Ganado, Texas. The pilot was properly certificated for the flight and was not injured in the accident. Damage to the aircraft included both wings, main landing gear, propeller, engine and mount, all flight controls. There was no post crash fire
As the FAA filed it
ON 04/02/2012, AT APPROXIMATELY 09:00 (CDT) AN AIR TRACTOR, N4544S, MODEL 402A, S/N 402A-0782 WAS SEBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A FIELD, AFTER TAKEOFF.THE PILOT STATED THAT AT TAKEOFF, THE WINDSHIELD AND SIDE WINDOWS BECAME COVERED WITH CHEMICAL ESCAPING FROM THE HOPPER COVER AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL REFERENCE OR LEVEL FLIGHT.THE AIRCRAFT WAS PROPERLY CERTIFICATED FOR THE LOCAL CFR PART 137 FLIGHT ORIGINATING FROM A PRIVATE AIR STRIP, GANADO, TEXAS.THE PILOT WAS PROPERLY CERTIFICATED FOR THE FLIGHT AND WAS NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT.DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDED BOTH WINGS, MAIN LANDING GEAR, PROPELLER, ENGINE AND MOUNT, ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS.THERE WAS NO POST CRASH 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.