Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff in a timely manner. Contributing to the accident was the weight of the airplane and the high ambient temperature.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On September 23, 2010, approximately 0945 central daylight time, an Aero Commander S2R, N8820Q, operated by Kirk Aviation, was destroyed when it struck an embankment and caught fire on takeoff from a private airstrip 3 miles north of Pocahontas, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The aerial application flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 137 without a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was seriously injured. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot was asked submit NTSB Form 6120.1/2, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report. No report was ever received.
The following is based on a telephone conversation with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who went to the accident site. The pilot told the inspector that the airplane was fully loaded and the ambient temperature was high. As the airplane reached the end of the runway and lifted off, it struck an embankment, impacted a field, and burned.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN10LA555