N2054S

On July 11, 2000, approximately 1720 mountain daylight time, a WSK PZL Mielec M-18 Dromader agricultural aircraft, N2054S, operated by A-1 Aviation of Fairfield, Washington, was destroyed in a collision with a ground vehicle and subsequent collision with terrain during an attempted go-around at a private gravel airstrip approximately 8 miles northwest of Burley, Idaho. The commercial pilot-in-command of the aircraft, who was its sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local 14 CFR 137 agricultural aerial application flight, which originated at the airstrip where the accident occurred.

The pilot and witnesses reported that after the pilot took off on the accident flight, and unknown to the pilot, the ground crew moved a fertilizer loading truck onto the end of the strip. Ground crew witnesses reported that this was not the fertilizer truck's usual or desired parking location. The pilot reported that he did not notice the truck being moved there when he was returning to land, stating that the area is a busy area for agricultural aircraft operations with other aircraft operating from the accident airstrip and another private airstrip about 1 mile away. The pilot stated that he attempted a go-around when he spotted the truck on landing, but that the landing was made with a 10- to 15-knot quartering tailwind, and that the temperature at the airstrip (elevation approximately 4,300 feet) was approximately 98 to 99 degrees F. The pilot stated that he was not able to clear the truck on the go-around, and that the fertilizer spreader on the aircraft caught the truck auger (which was located about 5 to 6 feet above the bin.) The aircraft nosed into a wheat field off the end of the runway, collided with the ground, slid and burned. The pilot reported that the fire started just as he got out of the aircraft.

Based on a pressure altitude of 4,300 feet and temperature of 99 degrees F, density altitude in the area at the time of the accident was computed to be approximately 7,800 feet. The pilot reported that the accident airstrip was 3,500 feet long, gravel-surfaced, and in good condition.