What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On may 14, 1999, at 1300 central daylight time, an air tractor AT-301, agricultural airplane, N4329S, was destroyed by a post-crash fire after it impacted trees during the takeoff/initial climb near Brownwood, Texas. The aircraft was owned and operated by ag-air equipment, inc., of wichita falls, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 137 aerial application flight and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to the pilot, he was preparing to fly the airplane from the "muddy" grass strip. The airplane was loaded with 300 gallons of zinc sulphate for the 21st aerial application flight of the day. The pilot stated that he inadvertently left the flaps in the fully retracted position for departure. During the takeoff roll the airplane encountered a "muddy patch," and the airplane decelerated. The airplane attained a height of approximately 6 feet AGL and "felt like it wouldn't climb," prior to impacting a tree. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. A pos crash fire erupted which consumed the airplane. The pilot added that the temperature was in the 70'S with a "light wind" out of the southwest. (-23)on may 5, 1999, at 1210 CDT, a airtractor AT-301, N4329S, owned by ag-air equipment, privacy data omitted was destroyed by a post-crash fire after it impacted trees during the take off/initial climb near Brownwood, Texas, under VFR condition. The pilot received minor injures and holds a commerical pilot certificate privacy data omitted. The flight originated at wichita falls airport, Texas at 1000.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON MAY 14, 1999, AT 1300 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIR TRACTOR AT-301, AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE, N4329S, WAS DESTROYED BY A POST-CRASH FIRE AFTER IT IMPACTED TREES DURING THE TAKEOFF/INITIAL CLIMB NEAR BROWNWOOD, TEXAS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY AG-AIR EQUIPMENT, INC., OF WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS PREPARING TO FLY THE AIRPLANE FROM THE "MUDDY" GRASS STRIP. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOADED WITH 300 GALLONS OF ZINC SULPHATE FOR THE 21ST AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT OF THE DAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE INADVERTENTLY LEFT THE FLAPS IN THE FULLY RETRACTED POSITION FOR DEPARTURE. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A "MUDDY PATCH," AND THE AIRPLANE DECELERATED. THE AIRPLANE ATTAINED A HEIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET AGL AND "FELT LIKE IT WOULDN'T CLIMB," PRIOR TO IMPACTING A TREE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. A POS CRASH FIRE ERUPTED WHICH CONSUMED THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT ADDED THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 70'S WITH A "LIGHT WIND" OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST. (-23)ON MAY 5, 1999, AT 1210 CDT, A AIRTRACTOR AT-301, N4329S, OWNED BY AG-AIR EQUIPMENT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS DESTROYED BY A POST-CRASH FIRE AFTER IT IMPACTED TREES DURING THE TAKE OFF/INITIAL CLIMB NEAR BROWNWOOD, TEXAS, UNDER VFR CONDITION. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURES AND HOLDS A COMMERICAL PILOT CERTIFICATE ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT WICHITA FALLS AIRPORT, TEXAS AT 1000.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.