What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departing airport, caught fence and flipped over. (.4)the aircraft was loaded with 2,400 pounds of fertilizer and 100 gallons of fuel. During takeoff, it collided with a six foot high fence at the end of the runway, and flipped over. The pilot reported that the takeoff seemed normal and that no airplane discrepancies with the engine or airframe were noted during the taxi, run up, or takeoff roll. Before colliding with the fence, the pilot executed an emergency dump of the fertilizer. Reportedly, the airplane had lifted off at approximately 1,900 feet down the 2,800 foot long runway, and the airplane did not climb after lift off. Same type aircraft with similar loads under similar conditions were using approximately 80 percent of the available runway. (-23) on April 18 at 10:45 CDT N1008P air tractor AT-401 crashed after attempting a takeoff from hightmore, SD airport. This takeoff was the first takeoff in the easterly direction. The pilot stated that the aircraft did not want to climb, he attempted to dump the load, but was unable. The aircraft's main landing gear contacted the highway 500 feet from the end of the r unway and the aircraft flipped over and came to rest on the top of the aircraft. The pilot was uninjured, but cut himself while exiting the aircraft and was hospitalized overnight.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTING AIRPORT, CAUGHT FENCE AND FLIPPED OVER. (.4)THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED WITH 2,400 POUNDS OF FERTILIZER AND 100 GALLONS OF FUEL. DURING TAKEOFF, IT COLLIDED WITH A SIX FOOT HIGH FENCE AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND FLIPPED OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE TAKEOFF SEEMED NORMAL AND THAT NO AIRPLANE DISCREPANCIES WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME WERE NOTED DURING THE TAXI, RUN UP, OR TAKEOFF ROLL. BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE FENCE, THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY DUMP OF THE FERTILIZER. REPORTEDLY, THE AIRPLANE HAD LIFTED OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 1,900 FEET DOWN THE 2,800 FOOT LONG RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPLANE DID NOT CLIMB AFTER LIFT OFF. SAME TYPE AIRCRAFT WITH SIMILAR LOADS UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS WERE USING APPROXIMATELY 80 PERCENT OF THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY. (-23) ON APRIL 18 AT 10:45 CDT N1008P AIR TRACTOR AT-401 CRASHED AFTER ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF FROM HIGHTMORE, SD AIRPORT. THIS TAKEOFF WAS THE FIRST TAKEOFF IN THE EASTERLY DIRECTION. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT WANT TO CLIMB, HE ATTEMPTED TO DUMP THE LOAD, BUT WAS UNABLE. THE AIRCRAFT'S MAIN LANDING GEAR CONTACTED THE HIGHWAY 500 FEET FROM THE END OF THE R UNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AND CAME TO REST ON THE TOP OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED, BUT CUT HIMSELF WHILE EXITING THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS HOSPITALIZED OVERNIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.