What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft departed with full fuel and 1700 lbs of granulated fertilizer. Approximately three miles from the departure airport, the pilot noticed a steady loss of altitude that could not be mitigated with application of full engine power. In an attempt to make a precautionary landing in a suitable field, the aircraft's left wing struck a tree top resulting in a stall spin and the aircraft crashed into the field.
The accident scene was consistent with the aircraft cartwheeling into the field after striking the tree top.
The engine, propeller and engine mount assembly, separated from the fuselage and came to rest in the original impact crater. The heavily damaged, yet still mainly intact fuselage, was located approximately 15-30 yards beyond the engine/propeller assembly.
Visual inspection of the engine revealed no apparent pre-crash anomalies. FAA inspectors took fuel samples from each available sump and noted a yellowish color consistent with that of automotive gasoline. There were no placards near the fuel caps, indicating authorized use of automotive gasoline. The aircraft flight manual and weight & balance information could not be located at the accident scene. FAA inspectors calculated density altitude at just over 4100 feet MSL.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WITH FULL FUEL AND 1700 LBS OF GRANULATED FERTILIZER. APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, THE PILOT NOTICED A STEADY LOSS OF ALTITUDE THAT COULD NOT BE MITIGATED WITH APPLICATION OF FULL ENGINE POWER. IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A SUITABLE FIELD, THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE TOP RESULTING IN A STALL SPIN AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE FIELD.
THE ACCIDENT SCENE WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELING INTO THE FIELD AFTER STRIKING THE TREE TOP.
THE ENGINE, PROPELLER AND ENGINE MOUNT ASSEMBLY, SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND CAME TO REST IN THE ORIGINAL IMPACT CRATER. THE HEAVILY DAMAGED, YET STILL MAINLY INTACT FUSELAGE, WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 15-30 YARDS BEYOND THE ENGINE/PROPELLER ASSEMBLY.
VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO APPARENT PRE-CRASH ANOMALIES. FAA INSPECTORS TOOK FUEL SAMPLES FROM EACH AVAILABLE SUMP AND NOTED A YELLOWISH COLOR CONSISTENT WITH THAT OF AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE. THERE WERE NO PLACARDS NEAR THE FUEL CAPS, INDICATING AUTHORIZED USE OF AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE. THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL AND WEIGHT & BALANCE INFORMATION COULD NOT BE LOCATED AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. FAA INSPECTORS CALCULATED DENSITY ALTITUDE AT JUST OVER 4100 FEET MSL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.