Sequence of Events
After a weather-related break due to a weakening frontal system, the topdressing operation resumed. The mist and low cloud had cleared, and the wind had increased. The pilot was conducting a sowing run into a narrow, rising valley. This was the sixth pass over the same terrain following an increase in payload.
Initially, the aircraft experienced lift, which then gave way to heavy sink. The pilot found himself unable to reverse course within the confined space of the narrow valley. Despite applying full power, deploying 20 degrees of flap, and attempting to dump the payload, he could not establish a climb. The aircraft subsequently stalled while executing a left-hand turn and impacted the valley side.
Impact and Aftermath
The aircraft struck left wing first, causing the outer wing section to detach. It then contacted the ground in a flat attitude but rotating anticlockwise, skidding tail-first to a halt. The hopper mouth tore loose, and together with the nose landing gear, it disrupted the cockpit floor, trapping the pilot's legs within the cockpit and inflicting serious injuries.
The pilot was wearing a full restraint harness and a protective helmet, which likely prevented more severe injury. He experienced some post-impact disorientation, but no post-crash fire occurred. Responding Police and Fire Services were unaware of the procedures required to secure the aircraft's fuel and electrical systems.
Aircraft and Pilot Details
The source does not specify the aircraft type, registration, engine count, date, operator, location, number of occupants, or the pilot's identity. The pilot sustained serious injuries, but no fatalities are mentioned.