What happened
A single-engine, tailwheel-equipped aircraft was conducting a predator control flight as part of a public use mission for a government agency. The flight profile required the pilot to operate at low altitudes throughout the mission.
Approximately one hour and fifty minutes into the flight, the aircraft settled into a thicket of mesquite trees while maneuvering. The pilot applied full power, which arrested the descent and allowed the aircraft to fly out of the vegetation. Following the encounter, the pilot located an open pasture approximately 0.5 miles from the site of the incident and performed a landing to inspect the plane.
Findings
Upon inspection of the aircraft following the landing, the pilot discovered that structural damage had occurred to the tail section of the airplane.