According to the owner of the aerial application airplane, the commercial rated pilot was performing a simulated aerial application flight with about 70 gallons of water in the hopper. After spraying water on the fields next to the private runway, during landing, the pilot touched down short of the runway. The main landing gear struck a ditch and the right main landing gear separated.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The owner added that, prior to the accident flight, the pilot accumulated 0.3 hours of total flight time in the airplane.