What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 20, 2021 at 1337 eastern daylight time, an Air tractor AT-502B aircraft, N8523Z, privacy data omitted, received substantial damage when it impacted trees following a delay in climb initiation after several passes for spray application. Visual meteorological conditions and light winds prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 137 without a flight plan. The pilot was seriously injured. The aircraft had departed nearby kekm airport minutes earlier at approximately 1330 eastern daylight time.
According to the pilot, he was spraying a potato field carrying 260 gallons of liquid fungicide. After making multiple passes he stated that he misjudged the rising terrain and pulled back on the controls too late. When he realized he would not clear the trees he released the fungicide. The aircraft clipped the trees with the left wing, leaving portions of the wingtip in the treetops. The aircraft then spun about 180 degrees, coming to rest facing the direction he had entered the woods. The aircraft nose and engine compartments, along with the wings and tail sections were damaged in the impact. No post-crash fire occurred. Pilot was able to exit the aircraft unaided through the right cockpit door.
Weather report at kekm airport at 1752 UTC was: wind 250 degrees at 8KNOTS, visibility 10 statute miles, clear, temp 26 dew point 21 and altimeter 29.72.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 20, 2021 AT 1337 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIR TRACTOR AT-502B AIRCRAFT, N8523Z, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED TREES FOLLOWING A DELAY IN CLIMB INITIATION AFTER SEVERAL PASSES FOR SPRAY APPLICATION. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND LIGHT WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE COMMERCIAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 137 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED NEARBY KEKM AIRPORT MINUTES EARLIER AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS SPRAYING A POTATO FIELD CARRYING 260 GALLONS OF LIQUID FUNGICIDE. AFTER MAKING MULTIPLE PASSES HE STATED THAT HE MISJUDGED THE RISING TERRAIN AND PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROLS TOO LATE. WHEN HE REALIZED HE WOULD NOT CLEAR THE TREES HE RELEASED THE FUNGICIDE. THE AIRCRAFT CLIPPED THE TREES WITH THE LEFT WING, LEAVING PORTIONS OF THE WINGTIP IN THE TREETOPS. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SPUN ABOUT 180 DEGREES, COMING TO REST FACING THE DIRECTION HE HAD ENTERED THE WOODS. THE AIRCRAFT NOSE AND ENGINE COMPARTMENTS, ALONG WITH THE WINGS AND TAIL SECTIONS WERE DAMAGED IN THE IMPACT. NO POST-CRASH FIRE OCCURRED. PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT UNAIDED THROUGH THE RIGHT COCKPIT DOOR.
WEATHER REPORT AT KEKM AIRPORT AT 1752 UTC WAS: WIND 250 DEGREES AT 8KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, CLEAR, TEMP 26 DEW POINT 21 AND ALTIMETER 29.72.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.