What happened
During an aerial topdressing mission involving the dispersal of superphosphate, an incident occurred during the final run of the morning. While the distribution process appeared to have stopped at the intended location, a secondary release of the remaining load was observed shortly thereafter. Following this discharge, the Fletcher began a sharp turn to the left, making contact with the upper branches of young pine trees.
After hitting the saplings, the aircraft descended further, traversing a fence line and a small gully before striking a steep incline. The impact caused the aircraft to catch fire. There were 1 fatality recorded in this accident, involving the pilot.
At the time of the event, meteorological conditions were generally favorable with light winds. However, the wind had recently shifted from a westerly direction to a northerly one, increasing slightly to between 10 and 15 mph. Additionally, another aircraft operating approximately five miles away noted the presence of turbulence in the vicinity starting around midday.
Findings
- The accident was characterized by an unavoidable collision with the ground.
- The pilot was unable to prevent the impact with the terrain for reasons that remained undetermined.