At about 0530 Mountain time, the airplane collided with terrain and was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot was killed. Visual conditions prevailed. The flight took off at about 0525. The operator stated the airplane was equipped to release moths under a state-run program. The airplane normally flies at 500 feet agl when releasing the moths. The pilot was to spend the morning releasing moths over selected fields in the Yuma area the morning of the accident.
