What happened
During an agricultural spraying mission, a student pilot was conducting a series of sowing flights. The day's operations began around 06:30, with the instructor managing the loader while the trainee handled the flying. The plan involved two-hour flight intervals to allow for rest and fuel checks. At approximately 08:20, the trainee began the twentieth flight of the day, carrying 965 kg of lime in the hopper of the Fletcher.
As the aircraft approached a ridge face at an altitude of roughly 100 feet AGL, the pilot prepared for a sowing run. During this maneuver, the aircraft failed to release the lime payload. Instead of following the established pattern, the plane executed a sharp left-hand turn, moving away from the ridge toward level ground. After completing a turn of approximately 120 degrees, the aircraft experienced a sudden nose-down pitch, entering a near-vertical dive into the earth. The impact caused the aircraft to bounce over a hedge before coming to a stop 10 meters from the primary impact site. The crash resulted in one fatality. Although a significant amount of fuel was released during the impact, no fire occurred.
Findings
Environmental conditions at the time of the accident were characterized by calm winds and high visibility. Investigation into the weather confirmed that atmospheric conditions were not a contributing factor to the crash.