The aircraft was engaged in spraying an Insecticide solution on
a maturing cotton crop varying In height from 2 feet to 4 feet 6
Inches. Operations had begun one hour previously and were to
continue into the night with the pilot making easterly and westerly
runs working from south to north across the field. The wind was
suitable for the operation being mainly light In strength and
variable In direction, with an occasional gust to ten knots.
Approximately three minutes before last light, with the work lights
on, the pilot approached from the west for his third spraying run,
over a tree 45 feet in height situated 120 feet back from the edge
of the crop. He then descended to begin spraying but the descent
was not arrested before the undercarriage entered the crop.
Believing the aircraft might not come free from the crop the pilot
reduced power to minimise the Impact, but the drag on the aircraft
decreased slightly and the pilot applied full power and dumped the
load. The aircraft failed to accelerate and sank deeper Into the
crop, and the pilot again reduced power. The right wing caught in
the crop and the aircraft skidded to the left still decelerating
and came to rest pointing 140 degrees to the flight path with the
undercarriage collapsed beneath it.
