Incident
A 48-year-old commercial pilot was spraying a field when the right wing and elevator struck a set of electrical wires. The airplane remained controllable except for a slight vibration, so the pilot decided to return to the operator's private airstrip, located about 6–7 miles away, to assess the damage.
Loss of Control
While on final approach to the airstrip, the pilot heard a slight thump and realized the elevator control had locked up. He managed to break the controls loose, but they felt stiff. The airplane veered off course and headed toward a center pivot irrigation system situated just east of the airstrip. The pilot added power to clear the pivot, and the nose of the airplane pitched up sharply. He regained control and leveled off, but needed to place both hands on the control column to offset the pressure.
Emergency Landing
The pilot then headed toward an open field south of the private airstrip in an attempt to make an emergency landing. He called the operator on the radio and stated that something was coming apart on the airplane and that the outcome of the situation was not going to be good. Shortly after, with both hands and his knee on the control column, he heard a popping sound, and the airplane pitched up almost vertically. The airplane stalled and descended toward the ground at a very steep angle, colliding with trees and coming to rest near a small body of water.
Damage
The airplane sustained structural damage to both wings, and the tail section partially separated and was displaced about 90 degrees.
Pilot Comments
The pilot stated that if it were not for the fact that he was wearing a helmet and his shoulder harness, his injuries would have been much more severe.