What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Emtled during climbout from grass strip. Went thru a ditch. (.4)the pilot reported that during the takeoff roll he noticed the airplane was not accelerating normally. He reported that he checked the manifold pressure and rpm's, and that the rpm's were low. He checked the propeller control at full forward. The pilot reported that he veered to the right to avoid a highway at the end of the runway. The airplane went through a fence and into a pasture, breaking the left landing gear as it slid to a stop. The airplane was inspected. The engine was started and run to approximately 1,800 RPM and the operation appeared normal. A small amount of water was drained from the right fuel cell. (-23) on April 3, 1998, at approximately 09:10 CDT an air tractor AT-401-401, N1008T, operated by kroeplin ag service (KA9G), crashed while attempting to take off with 2500 pounds of dry fertilizer and 126 gallons of fuel at the Highmore, SD, airport (9D0). Runway conditions: 2800 feet wet/soft grass strip. Commercial pilot gregory lloyd krech was the sole occupant and received no injuries. The pilot did not attempt to abort the take off or to emergency dump the load. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The aircraft was conducting commercial ag operations under CFR part 137 when the accident occurred. The flight originated April 3, 1998, at Highmore, SD, at 09:10 CDT. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and noflight plan was filed.
As the FAA filed it
EMTLED DURING CLIMBOUT FROM GRASS STRIP. WENT THRU A DITCH. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL HE NOTICED THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT ACCELERATING NORMALLY. HE REPORTED THAT HE CHECKED THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND RPM'S, AND THAT THE RPM'S WERE LOW. HE CHECKED THE PROPELLER CONTROL AT FULL FORWARD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE VEERED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A HIGHWAY AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND INTO A PASTURE, BREAKING THE LEFT LANDING GEAR AS IT SLID TO A STOP. THE AIRPLANE WAS INSPECTED. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RUN TO APPROXIMATELY 1,800 RPM AND THE OPERATION APPEARED NORMAL. A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL CELL. (-23) ON APRIL 3, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 09:10 CDT AN AIR TRACTOR AT-401-401, N1008T, OPERATED BY KROEPLIN AG SERVICE (KA9G), CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF WITH 2500 POUNDS OF DRY FERTILIZER AND 126 GALLONS OF FUEL AT THE HIGHMORE, SD, AIRPORT (9D0). RUNWAY CONDITIONS: 2800 FEET WET/SOFT GRASS STRIP. COMMERCIAL PILOT GREGORY LLOYD KRECH WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND RECEIVED NO INJURIES. THE PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO ABORT THE TAKE OFF OR TO EMERGENCY DUMP THE LOAD. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING COMMERCIAL AG OPERATIONS UNDER CFR PART 137 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED APRIL 3, 1998, AT HIGHMORE, SD, AT 09:10 CDT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NOFLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.