What happened
During a mission to distribute superphosphate in a field located in Tilbuster, north of Armidale, New South Wales, an aircraft experienced a catastrophic structural failure. The pilot was performing agricultural spraying duties over a paddock when the plane entered an uncontrolled barrel roll.
During this sequence of events, the left wing of the aircraft separated from the fuselage. Following the loss of the wing, the plane plummeted into the ground. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and caused one fatality.
Findings
- The accident occurred during the low-altitude flight phase associated with crop spraying.
- The primary factor in the crash was the detachment of the left wing during an uncontrolled roll.