What happened
The pilot was conducting an agricultural spraying operation, flying over a field in preparation for a run when a rain shower developed in the area. According to the pilot's statement, the aircraft encountered a microburst during this weather event. In an attempt to maintain altitude and counteract the downdraft, the pilot dumped the chemical load carried by the airplane.
Despite these efforts, the aircraft continued to descend from an approximate altitude of 400 feet before impacting the terrain. A surface weather report issued 25 minutes after the accident from Broken Bow Airport, located 19 miles north-northeast of the site, indicated virga conditions south-southwest of the airport.
The investigation
The investigation relied primarily on the pilot's statement regarding the encounter with a microburst and the subsequent dumping of the chemical load. No mechanical examination details were provided in the source text.
Findings
Contributing factors included the encounter with a microburst during agricultural operations and the resulting loss of altitude. The weather conditions, specifically virga reported nearby shortly after the event, supported the presence of precipitation-induced downdrafts.