What happened
During a crop spraying operation, an agricultural airplane struck the tops of trees and subsequently settled into the vegetation. Prior to the accident, the pilot had circled the corn field twice to check for any obstructions. The flight began by entering the field at the northwest corner and proceeding in an easterly direction.
While performing the spray run, the pilot was monitoring trees on both the right and left sides of the aircraft. Upon looking forward, the pilot misjudged the distance to the tree line located at the end of the field. The impact with the treetops led to a loss of control, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. A post-crash ground fire consumed the airplane.
Findings
- The pilot misjudged the distance of the tree line at the end of the field.
- The accident could have been prevented by identifying all obstructions surrounding and within the spray area and using better judgment before entering the area.