Accident Overview
The accident occurred while the pilot was performing aerial spraying operations. Prior to departing on the accident flight, the pilot briefed the flaggers on the planned flight path. The path was set to begin at the center of a tomato crop field and proceed in an east-to-west direction.
Flight Details
During the first load of spray, the pilot flew beneath the north-south transmission wires that crossed the field. For the second load, the pilot initiated a swath run from a west-to-east direction. As the aircraft approached the transmission wires, the pilot began a climb in an attempt to clear them.
Wire Strike and Fire
Despite the climb, the right wing of the aircraft made contact with a transmission wire. The impact ruptured the fuel tank, resulting in an in-flight fire. Following the fire, the airplane plummeted to the ground.