What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was on his fourth pass that morning spraying a field of corn. As he dropped in over top of a tree grove the main landing gear contacted the corn 250 feet past the tree line. Pilot was unable to recover and the aircraft impacted the ground and came to rest 370 feet from initial contact with corn. Aircraft damage included engine and mount broken off of airframe, right main landing gear broken off, substantial damage to right wing, rudder , and elevator.
Spoke with operator to find out what had been done to get pilot back in the air after his accident while conducting aerial application.
Counselling included, but not limited to, more attention paid to differences in approach when fully loaded compared to empty. Also addressed visual perception and varying differences in elevation when approaching or traversing a field.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS ON HIS FOURTH PASS THAT MORNING SPRAYING A FIELD OF CORN. AS HE DROPPED IN OVER TOP OF A TREE GROVE THE MAIN LANDING GEAR CONTACTED THE CORN 250 FEET PAST THE TREE LINE. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST 370 FEET FROM INITIAL CONTACT WITH CORN. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE INCLUDED ENGINE AND MOUNT BROKEN OFF OF AIRFRAME, RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR BROKEN OFF, SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO RIGHT WING, RUDDER , AND ELEVATOR.
SPOKE WITH OPERATOR TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD BEEN DONE TO GET PILOT BACK IN THE AIR AFTER HIS ACCIDENT WHILE CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION.
COUNSELLING INCLUDED, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, MORE ATTENTION PAID TO DIFFERENCES IN APPROACH WHEN FULLY LOADED COMPARED TO EMPTY. ALSO ADDRESSED VISUAL PERCEPTION AND VARYING DIFFERENCES IN ELEVATION WHEN APPROACHING OR TRAVERSING A FIELD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.