Accident Sequence
The pilot reported that the agricultural airplane was loaded and was taking off. He stated that he set the engine mixture control for best power and proceeded to take off. However, the takeoff roll took longer than expected. When the airplane was approaching the departure end of the runway, he realized that the engine was not producing the power he anticipated. As the end of the runway approached, he added a second notch of flaps, and the airplane lifted off, clearing the road and the corn crop on the opposite side. The airplane's airspeed started to reduce, and the pilot attempted to dump the chemical load. Instead, he inadvertently grabbed the flap handle and retracted the flaps. By the time he realized that he had inadvertently retracted the flaps, the airplane had already impacted the corn crop and terrain, subsequently coming to rest inverted.
Damage
The airplane suffered substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
Pilot's Observations
The pilot surmised that he had inadvertently leaned the engine mixture control too much prior to the takeoff, which resulted in a reduction in available engine power. He made no mention of any pre-impact deficiencies with regard to the airplane.