What happened
The flight was conducted for the purpose of aerial application involving the spraying of an herbicide. During operations at low altitude, the pilot executed a steep turn intended to reverse the aircraft's direction of travel. At this critical phase of flight, the pilot reported encountering a sudden and severe wind shear event. The conditions fluctuated rapidly from strong gusts to calm air within a span of just seconds.
In response to the loss of lift and control authority caused by the wind shear, the pilot applied full power to the engines and attempted to level the wings. Despite these corrective actions, the airplane continued its descent and impacted the ground. The force of the impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft, followed by a post-impact fire.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the operational context and the pilot's account of the meteorological conditions encountered during the maneuver. The primary finding was the presence of extreme wind shear during the low-altitude turn, which exceeded the aircraft's ability to maintain altitude despite full power application.