What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 10/8/2024. Piper pawnee brave was performing agricultural/crop dusting operations on a field south-east of Marana Regional Airport (avq). The pilot reported that he had already applied two loads of herbicide to the field. After dispensing the third load, flying from west to east toward a subdivision of homes, he was travelling approximately 100 mph and pulled up at the end of the field in order to initiate a turn and re-engage for another application.
The pilot stated that when he pulled up over the houses to initiate the turn that "the airplane wasn't really climbing," and that he "wanted to make a right turn but there was not enough airspeed."
The pilot also reported that when he pulled up to get above the homes that "the aircraft started settling." It was at this time that the aircraft crashed, coming to rest across a 10 foot gap between two homes at approximately 0745.
The pilot reported that the aircraft was functioning normally, stating " it flew fine, it was running and all gauges were normal." The pilot does not believe that there were any mechanical issues with the aircraft.
There was approximately 35 gallons of herbicide on board at the time of the accident. Local pd determined that the tank that held the herbicide remained intact and did not spill any hazmat.
As a result of this accident, 4 homes sustained substantial structure damage with one being inhabitable until repairs can be made.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage and was recovered to the owners hanger in Marana, AZ
As the FAA filed it
ON 10/8/2024. PIPER PAWNEE BRAVE WAS PERFORMING AGRICULTURAL/CROP DUSTING OPERATIONS ON A FIELD SOUTH-EAST OF MARANA REGIONAL AIRPORT (AVQ). THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD ALREADY APPLIED TWO LOADS OF HERBICIDE TO THE FIELD. AFTER DISPENSING THE THIRD LOAD, FLYING FROM WEST TO EAST TOWARD A SUBDIVISION OF HOMES, HE WAS TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY 100 MPH AND PULLED UP AT THE END OF THE FIELD IN ORDER TO INITIATE A TURN AND RE-ENGAGE FOR ANOTHER APPLICATION.
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE PULLED UP OVER THE HOUSES TO INITIATE THE TURN THAT "THE AIRPLANE WASN'T REALLY CLIMBING," AND THAT HE "WANTED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN BUT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH AIRSPEED."
THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT WHEN HE PULLED UP TO GET ABOVE THE HOMES THAT "THE AIRCRAFT STARTED SETTLING." IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED, COMING TO REST ACROSS A 10 FOOT GAP BETWEEN TWO HOMES AT APPROXIMATELY 0745.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY, STATING " IT FLEW FINE, IT WAS RUNNING AND ALL GAUGES WERE NORMAL." THE PILOT DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE ANY MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35 GALLONS OF HERBICIDE ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. LOCAL PD DETERMINED THAT THE TANK THAT HELD THE HERBICIDE REMAINED INTACT AND DID NOT SPILL ANY HAZMAT.
AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT, 4 HOMES SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE DAMAGE WITH ONE BEING INHABITABLE UNTIL REPAIRS CAN BE MADE.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND WAS RECOVERED TO THE OWNERS HANGER IN MARANA, AZ
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.