Accident Overview
A pilot engaged in superphosphate spreading operations over hilly farmland was killed when his aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff. The accident occurred during the pilot's 72nd sortie of the day, just before noon, with a standard hopper load of 14 hundredweight.
Flight and Impact
After completing the first sowing run, the pilot turned the aircraft to position for the next run. As was usual, the aircraft passed behind an intervening spur, becoming hidden from those on the airstrip. At about the time the aircraft was expected to reappear, a loud bang was heard by the ground crew, and moments later a column of smoke rose from behind the spur.
Wreckage and Site Evidence
The aircraft was found wrecked and burning. Physical evidence showed that the Fletcher had struck the ground with its right wingtip first while banked past the vertical, with the fuselage impacting in a perpendicular attitude. Propeller score marks on the pasture indicated that the engine was developing power at the moment of the crash.
Weather and Pilot Experience
The weather was fine and clear with a southwesterly breeze of about 5 knots. The source explicitly states that weather was not a cause factor in the accident. The pilot had recently completed an agricultural pilot course and had almost accumulated the fifty hours of supervised productive flying required before being cleared for unsupervised operations.
Probable Cause
According to the official findings, no evidence of mechanical or structural failure was found. Weather conditions were considered as good. The crash investigation determined that the most probable cause was a catastrophic physical incapacity of the pilot, leading to loss of control.