# Accident 19980604012589A: Airtrc AT502, Clarksdale, MS, June 4, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 4, 1998, 15:30 local time
- Place: Clarksdale, MS
- Airport: Mascot Planting Co
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: ZNIG
- Location: 34.2007° N, 90.5697° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2007&lon=-90.5697&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1502U, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1502U) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502 (registry code 0390303, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT502
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A34
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,794 total, 150 in this make and model, 125 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA178](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA178) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980604012589A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JUNE 4 ,1998, ABOUT 1530 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIR TRACTOR 502, N1502U, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING TAKEOFF FROM AN AIRSTRIP NEAR CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BECAME DISTRACTED BY THE LOADER PLACING A GREATER AMOUNT INTO THE HOPPER THAN THE PREVIOUS LOADS, AND HE FAILED TO EXTEND THE FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, HE NOTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT BECOMING AIRBORNE WHERE IT PREVIOUSLY HAD, BUT THOUGHT THIS WAS DUE TO THE ADDED LOAD IN THE HOPPER. THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY INTO A BEAN FIELD, COLLAPSING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME. (-23) PILOT FORGOT TO SET TAKEOFF FLAPS, GOT AIRBORNE IN GROUND EFFECT AND SETTLED BACK INTO GROUND.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA98LA178](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA178), Jun 4, 1998: Air Tractor 502 (N1502U), Clarksdale, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to extend the flaps for takeoff. A factor was his diverted attention to the loading of the airplane.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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