What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On the night of 09/30/13, the pilot of N402TR was flying low over agricultural fields west of Wellton, Arizona. The pilot was flying for a part 137 agricultural operator at the time of the flight.
The pilot had departed from the town of somerton (located 3-4 miles southwest of yuma). He received his altimeter setting from yuma tower enroute to agricultural fields west of Wellton.
The pilot was trying to identify the specific field that he was assigned to spray. He was attempting to decipher a map that had been drawn out for him, detailing the field. He climbed up to 300' AGL to give himself greater vertical clearance as he read his map. At the time, he stated that the closest lights were approximately 6-7 miles away, and there was no ambient light available. The red-colored map reading lights were on in the cockpit, and the navigation and strobe lights were operating.
As he continued flying at approximately 300' AGL, he made a "soft-left turn" to avoid known rising terrain. At this point, he stated that he didn't realize he was in a gradual descent.
The aircraft impacted the ground in soft dirt with no vegetation. The aircraft then hit a roadway, and flipped. The aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot was able to climb away from the wreckage with no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON THE NIGHT OF 09/30/13, THE PILOT OF N402TR WAS FLYING LOW OVER AGRICULTURAL FIELDS WEST OF WELLTON, ARIZONA. THE PILOT WAS FLYING FOR A PART 137 AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR AT THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT.
THE PILOT HAD DEPARTED FROM THE TOWN OF SOMERTON (LOCATED 3-4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF YUMA). HE RECEIVED HIS ALTIMETER SETTING FROM YUMA TOWER ENROUTE TO AGRICULTURAL FIELDS WEST OF WELLTON.
THE PILOT WAS TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC FIELD THAT HE WAS ASSIGNED TO SPRAY. HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO DECIPHER A MAP THAT HAD BEEN DRAWN OUT FOR HIM, DETAILING THE FIELD. HE CLIMBED UP TO 300' AGL TO GIVE HIMSELF GREATER VERTICAL CLEARANCE AS HE READ HIS MAP. AT THE TIME, HE STATED THAT THE CLOSEST LIGHTS WERE APPROXIMATELY 6-7 MILES AWAY, AND THERE WAS NO AMBIENT LIGHT AVAILABLE. THE RED-COLORED MAP READING LIGHTS WERE ON IN THE COCKPIT, AND THE NAVIGATION AND STROBE LIGHTS WERE OPERATING.
AS HE CONTINUED FLYING AT APPROXIMATELY 300' AGL, HE MADE A "SOFT-LEFT TURN" TO AVOID KNOWN RISING TERRAIN. AT THIS POINT, HE STATED THAT HE DIDN'T REALIZE HE WAS IN A GRADUAL DESCENT.
THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN SOFT DIRT WITH NO VEGETATION. THE AIRCRAFT THEN HIT A ROADWAY, AND FLIPPED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED, AND THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CLIMB AWAY FROM THE WRECKAGE WITH NO INJURIES.