What happened
The pilot was engaged in spraying 2,4,D herbicide across two barley fields. After completing the application on the first field, the pilot attempted to turn the aircraft around for the second field. During this maneuver, the aircraft began to settle toward the ground. In an attempt to avoid contact with the terrain, the pilot encountered an aircraft stall, which resulted in a collision with the ground.
The investigation
During a telephone conversation on the day of the accident, the pilot stated that there were no mechanical issues with the aircraft or the engine, suggesting the encounter may have been caused by hitting "dead air," such as a downdraft or a tailwind. Several days after the event, the pilot reported his opinion that the engine was not producing sufficient power at the time of the accident. Consequently, the engine was disassembled for examination; however, the investigation found no evidence to support a loss of power.