What happened
The pilot was conducting an agricultural spraying mission over uneven terrain when the incident occurred. He reported that he was making a swath run to the west over a field of cotton crops. During this operation, the right wing of the aircraft made contact with the tops of the cotton plants.
This contact caused the aircraft to lose stability and crash. Upon impact, the plane came to rest in an inverted position and immediately began to burn. Despite the fire breaking out, the pilot managed to escape from the wreckage before the flames spread significantly. He sustained only minor injuries during the event.
The investigation
Investigation details regarding mechanical failure or pre-impact conditions were not provided in the source material. The focus remains on the operational sequence described by the pilot during the spray run.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the accident. The primary cause was the physical contact between the aircraft's right wing and the cotton crop. This occurred while the pilot was executing a low-level swath run over uneven ground, which likely resulted in an unintentional descent below the safe altitude for that specific terrain.
Weather conditions also played a role in the operational environment. The wind was blowing from the northwest with gusts reaching up to 30 knots. These strong gusts could have affected the aircraft's stability and control during the low-altitude maneuver, making it more difficult to maintain precise positioning over the uneven terrain.