What happened
Prior to the accident, witnesses observed an airplane flying at low altitudes, ranging between 100 and 300 feet above ground level. The aircraft was seen performing two circles at an altitude of 200 to 300 feet over a farmstead where the pilot's family members were gathered. One witness noted that the flight pattern resembled that of a cropduster.
After completing the turns, the airplane proceeded in a westward direction. The aircraft was observed climbing before entering a right bank. It subsequently impacted the ground in a wheat field in a nose-low attitude with the right wing down. The wreckage path measured approximately 50 feet along a 030 magnetic heading.
The investigation
During the examination of the wreckage, it was discovered that the propeller had separated from the propeller shaft. Investigators found that the engine and flight controls exhibited continuity. It could not be determined who was acting as the pilot-in-command or who was manipulating the controls at the time of the impact.