What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The PIC was performing aerial application over a corn field. He stated he had made several application passes, noting no mechanical issues. The pilot said he was following his GPS pass line and got close to a tree, but thought the aircraft had adequate clearance. The left wingtip struck the tree, causing the aircraft to lose control, crash left wing and nose down and slide approximately 200 feet into the corn field. Throughout the slide the wings detached and the engine separated from the mount, coming to rest beside the fuselage.
As the FAA filed it
THE PIC WAS PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION OVER A CORN FIELD. HE STATED HE HAD MADE SEVERAL APPLICATION PASSES, NOTING NO MECHANICAL ISSUES. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS FOLLOWING HIS GPS PASS LINE AND GOT CLOSE TO A TREE, BUT THOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ADEQUATE CLEARANCE. THE LEFT WINGTIP STRUCK THE TREE, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO LOSE CONTROL, CRASH LEFT WING AND NOSE DOWN AND SLIDE APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET INTO THE CORN FIELD. THROUGHOUT THE SLIDE THE WINGS DETACHED AND THE ENGINE SEPARATED FROM THE MOUNT, COMING TO REST BESIDE THE FUSELAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.