Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the pilot's premature lift-off and subsequent loss of control due to his failure to monitor the airspeed indicator during the takeoff roll.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On February 15, 1996, at 1700 hours Pacific standard time, a WSK PZL Mielec M-18-A, N92640, an aerial application spray aircraft, collided with the terrain during an attempted takeoff from a 2,500-foot-long dirt strip. The operation was under 14 CFR Part 137 when the accident occurred. The aircraft was destroyed and the commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time.
The pilot stated that the tachometer and manifold gauges were in the normal ranges and that he did not look at the airspeed indicator prior to takeoff. He said the aircraft just wouldn't lift-off. The aircraft veered off to the right side of the runway and collided with a canal. It then bounced to the other side, where the landing gear sheared off the aircraft.
The aircraft was loaded with about 2,800 pounds of chemical and water, which is a normal load according to the operator. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX96LA113