Summary
The pilot had completed three flights, consisting of a boundary survey flight followed by two spreading sorties.
The weather was clear and calm and the temperature approximately 40°F. The third spreading sortie was to
be flown over a paddock of irregular shape, about 1 mile long and 300 feet wide, oriented north-west south-east.
The paddock was bisected by a line of trees beyond which the ground sloped gently upwards towards a low hill
located beyond the south eastern boundary. A witness standing near the north western boundary of the paddock
watched the aircraft as it began spreading in a south easterly direction and then lost sight of it. Approximately
one half minute later the sound of the engine ceased abruptly followed closely by a heavy impact. The aircraft
was found to have struck the ground while in a nose down attitude of some 22 degrees with the right wing
slightly low and at a location consistent with the aircraft having completed its spreading run and turning to
commence its next run. The impact marks indicate that the aircraft was skidding to the right. The hopper
doors were in the dump position and portion of the load had been jettisoned immediately before impact. The
aircraft came to rest facing in a south westerly direction some 53 feet from the initial impact point. There
was no fire.
