What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 29, 2025 PIC, privacy data omittedshowed up to the agricultural application site near easton, CA, to treat the weeds in a 75 acre field of alfalfa that was over wintering. He arrived at the field around 8:00 a.m. he circled and surveyed the field in his truck first as he began to map the mission. The field was open and didn’t have any unusual obstacles. There was a power line on the n side of the field running east/west and a well (irrigation pump) in the NE corner of the field inward about 200’ from the NE corner. The drone was mapped to start on the NE corner of the field and the n side of the pump. He was stationed (landing zone) about 1300’ to the w. we began the mission around 10:00 a.m. as the drone approached the starting point of its first pass at about 30’ high it began to descend to its operating height of 10’. As it descended, he failed in his pre mission planning to notate the wire that came into the pump from the NE corner. It was inward just enough that the tips of the propellers caught the wire as it descended and caused the drone to drop to the ground. The tank was full so the weight was at a max and the damage to the drone was substantial. All propellers broke, along with an arm and motor. The landing gear and tank were also damaged in the crash. There was no other damage to the property. He contacted the his insurance company and they deemed the drone not worthy of repairing.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 29, 2025 PIC, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^SHOWED UP TO THE AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION SITE NEAR EASTON, CA, TO TREAT THE WEEDS IN A 75 ACRE FIELD OF ALFALFA THAT WAS OVER WINTERING. HE ARRIVED AT THE FIELD AROUND 8:00 A.M. HE CIRCLED AND SURVEYED THE FIELD IN HIS TRUCK FIRST AS HE BEGAN TO MAP THE MISSION. THE FIELD WAS OPEN AND DIDN’T HAVE ANY UNUSUAL OBSTACLES. THERE WAS A POWER LINE ON THE N SIDE OF THE FIELD RUNNING EAST/WEST AND A WELL (IRRIGATION PUMP) IN THE NE CORNER OF THE FIELD INWARD ABOUT 200’ FROM THE NE CORNER. THE DRONE WAS MAPPED TO START ON THE NE CORNER OF THE FIELD AND THE N SIDE OF THE PUMP. HE WAS STATIONED (LANDING ZONE) ABOUT 1300’ TO THE W. WE BEGAN THE MISSION AROUND 10:00 A.M. AS THE DRONE APPROACHED THE STARTING POINT OF ITS FIRST PASS AT ABOUT 30’ HIGH IT BEGAN TO DESCEND TO ITS OPERATING HEIGHT OF 10’. AS IT DESCENDED, HE FAILED IN HIS PRE MISSION PLANNING TO NOTATE THE WIRE THAT CAME INTO THE PUMP FROM THE NE CORNER. IT WAS INWARD JUST ENOUGH THAT THE TIPS OF THE PROPELLERS CAUGHT THE WIRE AS IT DESCENDED AND CAUSED THE DRONE TO DROP TO THE GROUND. THE TANK WAS FULL SO THE WEIGHT WAS AT A MAX AND THE DAMAGE TO THE DRONE WAS SUBSTANTIAL. ALL PROPELLERS BROKE, ALONG WITH AN ARM AND MOTOR. THE LANDING GEAR AND TANK WERE ALSO DAMAGED IN THE CRASH. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE PROPERTY. HE CONTACTED THE HIS INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY DEEMED THE DRONE NOT WORTHY OF REPAIRING.