What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On June 25, 1998, at 1000 central daylight time, an air tractor AT-301, N31677, operated by tri county ag service, inc., collided with the terrain and nosed over following a loss of control on takeoff from a private airstrip in Ipswich, south dakota. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR part 137 aerial application flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. (.4)the pilot reported that shortly after rotating during a takeoff to the north, a sudden gust of wind from the south was experienced. He reported the airplane stalled and then 'mushed.' The airplane traveled off the end of the runway into a wet OAT field where the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported the local winds were from the west at 6 knots. The 0856 CDT weather observation for aberdeen, south dakota, 19 miles east of the accident site, reported the winds were from 230 degrees at 7 knots. (-23) on takeoff, aircraft became airborne momentarily then settled back onto the runway. The aircraft ran off the end of the runway into tall grass and flipped over. Pilot stated there was a wind shift. METAR for surrounding airports indicated winds were from the southwest at less than 10 knots.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON JUNE 25, 1998, AT 1000 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIR TRACTOR AT-301, N31677, OPERATED BY TRI COUNTY AG SERVICE, INC., COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AND NOSED OVER FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL ON TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP IN IPSWICH, SOUTH DAKOTA. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE 14 CFR PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER ROTATING DURING A TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH, A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND FROM THE SOUTH WAS EXPERIENCED. HE REPORTED THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND THEN 'MUSHED.' THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY INTO A WET OAT FIELD WHERE THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED THE LOCAL WINDS WERE FROM THE WEST AT 6 KNOTS. THE 0856 CDT WEATHER OBSERVATION FOR ABERDEEN, SOUTH DAKOTA, 19 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, REPORTED THE WINDS WERE FROM 230 DEGREES AT 7 KNOTS. (-23) ON TAKEOFF, AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE MOMENTARILY THEN SETTLED BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY INTO TALL GRASS AND FLIPPED OVER. PILOT STATED THERE WAS A WIND SHIFT. METAR FOR SURROUNDING AIRPORTS INDICATED WINDS WERE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT LESS THAN 10 KNOTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.