What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While beginning an aerial application, the pilot departed a truck landing pad into a 8 to 10 knot wind. The pilot made a turn away from the head wind while at a low altitude and slow airspeed resulting in settling into the ground.
Based upon raton, nm's ASOS, the density altitude at the accident location was near 8,500 feet.
A flight plan was not filed.
The aircraft was substantially damaged.
The experienced ag pilot lost control of the aircraft when control was possible, however the pilot was operating in a remote area that was surrounded by hilly terrain that affected the wind direction.
The closest weather reporting was raton, NM, 25 NM distant.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE BEGINNING AN AERIAL APPLICATION, THE PILOT DEPARTED A TRUCK LANDING PAD INTO A 8 TO 10 KNOT WIND. THE PILOT MADE A TURN AWAY FROM THE HEAD WIND WHILE AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND SLOW AIRSPEED RESULTING IN SETTLING INTO THE GROUND.
BASED UPON RATON, NM'S ASOS, THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ACCIDENT LOCATION WAS NEAR 8,500 FEET.
A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
THE EXPERIENCED AG PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHEN CONTROL WAS POSSIBLE, HOWEVER THE PILOT WAS OPERATING IN A REMOTE AREA THAT WAS SURROUNDED BY HILLY TERRAIN THAT AFFECTED THE WIND DIRECTION.
THE CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING WAS RATON, NM, 25 NM DISTANT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.