Incident Summary
An aerial application flight ended in a stall and impact with the ground after a sequence of events. According to the investigation, the pilot cleared a rise during the operation and subsequently encountered a downdraft. The aircraft then struck trees and stalled, hitting the ground with little forward motion. An intense explosion and fire occurred immediately after the impact.
Fire and Fuel Tank Details
The fire originated in the area of the fiberglass fuel tank. Investigators noted that an optional fuel tank assembly replacement with a rubber fuel cell liner had been available for years for this aircraft model. However, the accident aircraft was equipped with the original fiberglass fuel tank, not the upgraded liner.