What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot of the agricultural aircraft took off on runway 31 from the Hartington, NE airport. Shortly after takeoff the windshield became covered in oil. The oil obscured the pilots vision. The pilot stated he realized that he had not secured the engine oil cap after completing an engine oil change the previous day. The pilot turned the aircraft to return to the runway. The aircraft began to sink after the turn was initiated and the pilot could not control the sink rate. The aircraft made a forced landing in a cornfield southwest of the departure runway sustaining substantial damage to the aircraft. Post accident the engine oil filler cap was found unsecured hanging from the safety chain attaching the cap to the engine.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT OF THE AGRICULTURAL AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 31 FROM THE HARTINGTON, NE AIRPORT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE WINDSHIELD BECAME COVERED IN OIL. THE OIL OBSCURED THE PILOTS VISION. THE PILOT STATED HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD NOT SECURED THE ENGINE OIL CAP AFTER COMPLETING AN ENGINE OIL CHANGE THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SINK AFTER THE TURN WAS INITIATED AND THE PILOT COULD NOT CONTROL THE SINK RATE. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A CORNFIELD SOUTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. POST ACCIDENT THE ENGINE OIL FILLER CAP WAS FOUND UNSECURED HANGING FROM THE SAFETY CHAIN ATTACHING THE CAP TO THE ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.