Summary
On June 15, 2012, a Air Tractor INC AT-502 (N45379) was involved in an incident near Ipswich, SD. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.
The airplane was departing from a 2,400 foot asphalt runway on an aerial application flight. The airplane was loaded to its maximum gross takeoff weight and configured with 10 degrees of flaps prior to the takeoff roll. The pilot reported that a tall stand of trees at the southeast side of the departure end of the runway blocked the wind and seemed to “create a void in the air” which resulted in an extended takeoff roll. Electing not to abort the takeoff, the pilot added more flaps but the airplane was unable to get airborne. The airplane went off the end of the runway, hit a ditch, and skidded across the road into a field. The landing gear separated from the airframe and the airplane’s fuselage and control surfaces sustained substantial damage.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN12CA375. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N45379.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The airplane was departing from a 2,400 foot asphalt runway on an aerial application flight. The airplane was loaded to its maximum gross takeoff weight and configured with 10 degrees of flaps prior to the takeoff roll. The pilot reported that a tall stand of trees at the southeast side of the departure end of the runway blocked the wind and seemed to “create a void in the air” which resulted in an extended takeoff roll. Electing not to abort the takeoff, the pilot added more flaps but the airplane was unable to get airborne. The airplane went off the end of the runway, hit a ditch, and skidded across the road into a field. The landing gear separated from the airframe and the airplane’s fuselage and control surfaces sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that the airplane did not have a mechanical malfunction during the attempted takeoff.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN12CA375