What happened
At approximately 3:30, the pilot departed from Austin to perform agricultural spraying operations. After landing in a hay field, the pilot loaded the aircraft with 160 gallons of chemical intended for a soybean field located across the road.
During the subsequent takeoff run, the aircraft became airborne but was unable to clear a hill situated at the end of the field. The pilot noted that the wind had died down by this time. In an attempt to manage the situation, the pilot dumped a portion of the chemical load; however, this action was not completed quickly enough to avoid the obstacle.
Seeking to avoid the hill, the pilot attempted to land the aircraft back in the field while traveling uphill. Because the dirt was soft, the aircraft veered to the left and nosed over, eventually coming to a stop. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the incident, and the pilot was not injured.
Findings
Weather reports from Rochester, MN, indicated light winds in the area around the time of the accident. At 1354, winds were reported at 040 degrees at 6 knots. By 1454, winds shifted to 080 degrees at 8 knots. Approximately two minutes before the accident, winds were recorded at 060 degrees at 6 knots, and by 1654, they were 090 degrees at 5 knots.