N92917

On August 7, 1996, at 0550 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B, N92917, registered to and operated by Yates Flying Service, Inc., as a Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight, impacted terrain during takeoff near Winnsboro, Louisiana. The commercial pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed.

During a telephone interview, conducted by the investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported the following information. The pilot was on the first takeoff of the day in the early dawn. The winds were calm, with a temperature of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and the airplane was at a gross weight of 3,510 pounds (maximum gross weight 4,400 pounds). After breaking ground from the 2,200 foot airstrip, "the airplane climbed to about 12 feet AGL and started settling." The pilot added that the airplane "entered dead air and sank into ground effect." The main wheels caught in the corn plants at the departure end of the runway, resulting in a sudden deceleration and subsequent descent to the ground.

Post accident examination of the airplane, by the FAA inspector and the pilot, revealed that both wings, the empennage, and the top of the cabin sustained structural damage. Inspection of the accident site revealed that the airplane traveled for approximately 20 feet after impacting the corn field. The pilot told the FAA inspector that the engine was performing "normally and there were no flight control problems."

In the recommendation block of the enclosed Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot offered no recommendation on how this accident could have been prevented and stated "probable localized inversion." Based on figures provided by the operator, the investigator-in-charge calculated the density altitude as 1,500 feet. No evidence was found that the pilot attempted to jettison the load to clear the obstructions at the end of the field.

The approved flight manual for the airplane does provide takeoff/climb performance data for restricted category operations.