What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The pilot took off with 1,700 pounds of fertilizer (within the airplane's maximum demonstrated operating load) and approximately 3/4 fuel on an aerial application flight. The airstrip the pilot took off from slopes uphill at the end. The pilot stated that at an altitude of 5 to 10 feet above the ground after takeoff, 'a tailwind came up' and he was unable to stay airborne. The aircraft settled into a wheat field and flipped over approximately 500 feet past the end of the airstrip. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved in the accident. He reported the accident site was 4,300 feet above sea level, and that temperature at the time of takeoff was 92 degrees f. density altitude at this pressure altitude and temperature was 7,500 feet. (-23) the pilot had been applying fertilizer all afternoon. The operations were on an agricultural strip 8 miles north northwest of Paul, Idaho. As the pilot continued operations that afternoon the OAT continued to increase. Finally on the takeoff at 1600 the temperature was at 92 degrees fahrenheit. The pilot stated: with a load of fertilizer the wind shifted and the airc raft was unable to clear the rolling hills off the east end of the strip. The plane settled into the growing wheat field and tumbled.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH 1,700 POUNDS OF FERTILIZER (WITHIN THE AIRPLANE'S MAXIMUM DEMONSTRATED OPERATING LOAD) AND APPROXIMATELY 3/4 FUEL ON AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE AIRSTRIP THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM SLOPES UPHILL AT THE END. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 5 TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AFTER TAKEOFF, 'A TAILWIND CAME UP' AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STAY AIRBORNE. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO A WHEAT FIELD AND FLIPPED OVER APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET PAST THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT. HE REPORTED THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 4,300 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL, AND THAT TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF WAS 92 DEGREES F. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THIS PRESSURE ALTITUDE AND TEMPERATURE WAS 7,500 FEET. (-23) THE PILOT HAD BEEN APPLYING FERTILIZER ALL AFTERNOON. THE OPERATIONS WERE ON AN AGRICULTURAL STRIP 8 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF PAUL, IDAHO. AS THE PILOT CONTINUED OPERATIONS THAT AFTERNOON THE OAT CONTINUED TO INCREASE. FINALLY ON THE TAKEOFF AT 1600 THE TEMPERATURE WAS AT 92 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE PILOT STATED: WITH A LOAD OF FERTILIZER THE WIND SHIFTED AND THE AIRC RAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE ROLLING HILLS OFF THE EAST END OF THE STRIP. THE PLANE SETTLED INTO THE GROWING WHEAT FIELD AND TUMBLED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.