Incident Overview
A pilot reported that while conducting a low pass approximately 4 feet above crops for aerial application, the engine surged. In response, the pilot looked down to troubleshoot the issue, momentarily diverting attention from the crop ahead. According to the pilot, "The next thing I knew I was in the corn, I pulled back out of it, but the intake had ingested too much corn. The engine seemed like it was running on 3 cylinders."
Sequence of Events
The aircraft subsequently struck a row of cedar trees and settled into a corn field. No further details regarding the extent of damage or any injuries were provided in the initial report. The pilot's account did not specify the aircraft type, registration, number of occupants, or environmental conditions such as time of day or weather.
Pilot Statement
The pilot emphasized that the engine surge prompted a troubleshooting action that led to loss of visual reference with the crop. This chain of events preceded the ingestion of corn into the engine intake and the impact with the cedar row.
Investigation Notes
As of the report, no probable cause has been assigned. The investigation may consider the pilot's actions and the engine surge, but no conclusions or causal links have been drawn from the available information.