What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 07/16/2024, the pilot of privacy data omitted was performing aerial application for a part 137 operation and was on the 8th load of the day. The aircraft had 145 gallons of fungicide and 45 gallons of fuel onboard. At about 25 to 30 minutes into the flight and setting up for the 4th spray pass, the pilot completed a turn approximately one mile south of the target field. As the pilot began leveling out to start the next spray run, at approximately 300 ft of altitude, the pilot noted that the aircraft began to descend. The airspeed was noted to be between 80 and 85 mph, manifold pressure at 25 PSI, and RPM was 2500. The pilot responded by adding full power and full propeller RPM. The pilot dumped an estimated 100 gallons of fungicide from the hopper. There was no increase in acceleration felt when full power was added. As the aircraft was pointed into the wind, wings level with nose down input to the pilot controls, the aircraft touched down in a farm yard. The aircraft slid through the tall grass and some metal fencing panels before coming to a stop. The pilot shut off the fuel and electrical power, then exited the aircraft without injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the landing gear, fuselage, engine and wings. The location of the accident is Avoca, Nebraska.
As the FAA filed it
ON 07/16/2024, THE PILOT OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION FOR A PART 137 OPERATION AND WAS ON THE 8TH LOAD OF THE DAY. THE AIRCRAFT HAD 145 GALLONS OF FUNGICIDE AND 45 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD. AT ABOUT 25 TO 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT AND SETTING UP FOR THE 4TH SPRAY PASS, THE PILOT COMPLETED A TURN APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE SOUTH OF THE TARGET FIELD. AS THE PILOT BEGAN LEVELING OUT TO START THE NEXT SPRAY RUN, AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FT OF ALTITUDE, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND. THE AIRSPEED WAS NOTED TO BE BETWEEN 80 AND 85 MPH, MANIFOLD PRESSURE AT 25 PSI, AND RPM WAS 2500. THE PILOT RESPONDED BY ADDING FULL POWER AND FULL PROPELLER RPM. THE PILOT DUMPED AN ESTIMATED 100 GALLONS OF FUNGICIDE FROM THE HOPPER. THERE WAS NO INCREASE IN ACCELERATION FELT WHEN FULL POWER WAS ADDED. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS POINTED INTO THE WIND, WINGS LEVEL WITH NOSE DOWN INPUT TO THE PILOT CONTROLS, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A FARM YARD. THE AIRCRAFT SLID THROUGH THE TALL GRASS AND SOME METAL FENCING PANELS BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE PILOT SHUT OFF THE FUEL AND ELECTRICAL POWER, THEN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, FUSELAGE, ENGINE AND WINGS. THE LOCATION OF THE ACCIDENT IS AVOCA, NEBRASKA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.