Accident Summary
An agricultural airplane sustained substantial damage when it struck trees and terrain during an application pass. The pilot reported that after completing one pass and initiating a turn for the next, the aircraft encountered a thermal at approximately 150 feet above ground level while in a 45-degree-plus banked turn.
Pilot Report
As the pilot began to roll out of the turn, the airplane began to sink, which the pilot attributed to the thermal. At the time of the encounter, the airplane was about 40 feet above and 250 feet in front of a tree line. The pilot stated: "I added full power [and] lowered the nose, [but] was unable to recover from the thermal." The airplane subsequently contacted trees. With "all lift gone and more trees ahead," the pilot opted to land in a cornfield.
Additional Details
The pilot reported no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior to the accident.