Accident Overview
A pilot conducting a landing approach collided with a fertilizer truck that had been moved onto the end of the airstrip by ground crew after the pilot's departure. The pilot was unaware of the truck's relocation. Ground crew witnesses noted that the parking location was not the truck's usual or desired position.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that he did not observe the truck being moved while he was returning to land, attributing this to the area being busy with agricultural aircraft operations. Upon spotting the truck on the runway during landing, the pilot attempted a go-around. However, the landing was performed with a 10- to 15-knot quartering tailwind, and the temperature at the airstrip (elevation approximately 4,300 feet) was around 98 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot stated that he was unable to clear the truck during the go-around.
Collision and Aftermath
The fertilizer spreader on the aircraft caught the truck's auger, which was located about 5 to 6 feet above the bin. Subsequently, the aircraft nosed into a wheat field off the end of the runway, collided with the ground, slid, and burned. The pilot escaped the aircraft with minor injuries. The density altitude at the time was approximately 7,800 feet.