What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The agricultural aircraft's fuel and chemical load were each approximately 2/3 full. Take-off was normal, with a light wind, and the pilot transitioned to and surveyed the field at approximately 400 feet AGL, while determining the best way to accomplish the task and avoid obstructions. He was aware of the cell phone tower at one side of the field and chose his pattern work so he would finish the field when working close to the tower. This would result in maximum performance of the airplane while maneuvering close to the tower. The pilot also stated he wanted to verify where the guy wires actually were and whether they extended into the field. He made a down wind turn to go around the tower to establish the GPS fix of point "c". (Point "c" fix, when inputted in the GPS, determines the finish of the field spray area. Fix "a" and "b" determine the beginning of the spray area).evidence indicates the pilot increased the angle of bank during a turn that exceeded the critical angle of attack. The subsequent stall resulted in the aircraft striking a tower guy wire and impacting the ground. The aircraft was substaniallly damaged and the pilot sustained serious injuries.
As the FAA filed it
THE AGRICULTURAL AIRCRAFT'S FUEL AND CHEMICAL LOAD WERE EACH APPROXIMATELY 2/3 FULL. TAKE-OFF WAS NORMAL, WITH A LIGHT WIND, AND THE PILOT TRANSITIONED TO AND SURVEYED THE FIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET AGL, WHILE DETERMINING THE BEST WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK AND AVOID OBSTRUCTIONS. HE WAS AWARE OF THE CELL PHONE TOWER AT ONE SIDE OF THE FIELD AND CHOSE HIS PATTERN WORK SO HE WOULD FINISH THE FIELD WHEN WORKING CLOSE TO THE TOWER. THIS WOULD RESULT IN MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE MANEUVERING CLOSE TO THE TOWER. THE PILOT ALSO STATED HE WANTED TO VERIFY WHERE THE GUY WIRES ACTUALLY WERE AND WHETHER THEY EXTENDED INTO THE FIELD. HE MADE A DOWN WIND TURN TO GO AROUND THE TOWER TO ESTABLISH THE GPS FIX OF POINT "C". (POINT "C" FIX, WHEN INPUTTED IN THE GPS, DETERMINES THE FINISH OF THE FIELD SPRAY AREA. FIX "A" AND "B" DETERMINE THE BEGINNING OF THE SPRAY AREA).EVIDENCE INDICATES THE PILOT INCREASED THE ANGLE OF BANK DURING A TURN THAT EXCEEDED THE CRITICAL ANGLE OF ATTACK. THE SUBSEQUENT STALL RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT STRIKING A TOWER GUY WIRE AND IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANIALLLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.