What happened
The accident occurred while the pilot was engaged in agricultural operations, specifically maneuvering to locate cattle for a ground crew. During this phase of flight, the pilot executed a turn intended to reverse direction. As the aircraft turned, the pilot's attention shifted away from flight instruments and external references to visually search for livestock. This distraction led to a failure to maintain adequate airspeed.
As the airspeed decreased below the critical threshold, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall. The loss of lift resulted in the aircraft entering a spin. Control was not regained before impact, and the aircraft crashed into trees and the ground.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight dynamics leading to the crash. Evidence indicated that the primary factor was the reduction of airspeed during the turn. The sequence of events showed a direct correlation between the pilot's visual distraction and the subsequent loss of control.
Findings
The critical finding was that the stall was caused by the pilot allowing airspeed to decay while distracted by ground operations. The failure to monitor airspeed during a low-altitude maneuver resulted in the spin and subsequent collision with terrain.