Flight Details
The aircraft was loaded with 190 gallons of fertilizer and an additional 45 gallons of fuel. The pilot attempted a downwind takeoff from a private dirt agricultural airstrip.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported that he had been instructed by the aircraft operator to use a takeoff power setting of 33 inches of manifold pressure and 1,800 rpm. During the initial climbing left turn toward the northeast, he noticed he was unable to maintain sufficient airspeed. He observed that the aircraft was moving toward the south in a sideward drift.
Accident Sequence
Because the aircraft was not climbing, the pilot added one inch of manifold pressure. As he did so, he noticed that the winds had increased. During the turn, the aircraft's performance became even more sluggish, and the aircraft began to settle. Subsequently, the aircraft stalled, landed in a soft dirt field, and nosed over.
Outcome
The aircraft came to rest nose-down in the soft field. No further details on injuries or damage were provided in the source.