What happened
On August 4, 2018, a WSK PZL MieleC M-18A, registration N851EJ, was performing agricultural spraying operations over a cornfield near Dansville, New York. The pilot was executing application passes from east to west, progressing northward toward a tree line. During the penultimate spray pass, the pilot transitioned over the eastern tree line and descended to a low altitude to approach the crops.
As the aircraft traveled approximately 300 feet into the field, it entered a rapid descent. The pilot attempted to correct the situation by pitching the nose up, but the aircraft continued to lose airspeed. The landing gear subsequently struck the corn, causing the aircraft to impact the terrain and come to rest in an inverted position. There were no injuries to the pilot, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the empennage.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's mechanical condition, the environmental factors at the time of the accident, and the pilot's flight maneuvers. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the event. Meteorological data from a nearby station indicated temperatures of 85.3°F with winds from 293° at 6 mph. The pilot identified a combination of descending air rolling over the northern tree line, wind shear, and the low-altitude nature of the flight as contributing factors to the loss of control.
Findings
- The pilot failed to maintain adequate clearance from the crops during the agricultural application.
- Environmental factors, including wind shear and descending air from the tree line, contributed to the uncontrolled descent.
- The low altitude of the operation reduced the margin of error for recovering from the sudden loss of lift.