N9849V

On April 8, 1995, at 1105 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 188, N9849V, registered to Satanta Flying Service Incorporated of Satanta, Kansas, and piloted by a commercially certificated pilot, was substantially damaged during a collision with the ground shortly after takeoff. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 137 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported he received minor injuries. The flight departed Meade, Kansas, at 1102 cdt.

The pilot stated he took off at a gross weight of 3,300 pounds with two notches of flaps. He said, "I commenced the takeoff roll and rotated at 60 to 65 mph." The airplane, according to the pilot, had climbed to about 200 feet above the ground. At this point he said he was climbing at 85 mph and retracted one notch of flaps.

After retracting the flaps the pilot said he noticed the airplane wasn't climbing. He said he turned the airplane into the wind and felt the airplane descending at a fast rate. He said the throttle, mixture and propeller controls were "...full in." The airspeed had decelerated to 60 mph according to the pilot. He said, "[I] lowered the nose slightly so as to increase my airspeed." He said the wasn't certain if the insecticide load had dumped or not, but the airplane kept on descending. He said he slipped the airplane when it was at the stall speed because a house and people were in front of him. The high rate of descent was maintained until the airplane collided with the ground.

A witness said the pilot loaded the airplane's hopper with 125 gallons of insecticide. He said the pilot also loaded the airplane with full fuel. According to the witness, the airplane took off, reached an altitude of 200 to 300 feet, and turned west instead of northeast as planned. He said the engine sounded normal throughout the event and that there were no power changes. After turning to the west, the airplane began a descent and collided with the ground shortly after dumping the insecticide load.

The on-scene investigation revealed no anomalies with the engine or propeller governor and controls. The original propeller was destroyed during the ground collision. According to the FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI), the airplane's pilot operating handbook (POH) says that takeoff is initiated with two notches of flaps. The POH states that liftoff should be at 65 mph.