What happened
During a routine agricultural spraying mission, the pilot was operating an aircraft when a catastrophic structural failure occurred. While in flight, the starboard wing became detached from the rest of the airframe. This loss of control led to the aircraft impacting an open field, resulting in the total destruction of the plane. The pilot, who was the only person on board at the time of the incident, sustained fatal injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the wreckage determined that the accident was the result of the right wing separating from the aircraft while it was airborne. This structural failure was driven by a significant reduction in the strength of the wing assembly. Specifically, investigators identified extensive fatigue cracks located within the lower center wing wraparound and the internal doublers situated inboard of Station 142. The progression and eventual failure of these cracks were attributed to consistent overstress during flight operations.