What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 09/23/99 at 1330 MDT, N8731H, a Grumman ag cat model 164A, impacted the ground following take-off from a crop duster strip located in Cotton City, NM, causing substantial damage to the aircraft. The aircraft was operated under title 14 part 137 and the commercial pilot was uninjured. According to witness statements, gusty wind conditions shifted approx. 120 degrees during the take-off roll, causing the aircraft to settle to the ground after lift-off. No flight plan was filed and VMC conditions prevailed, the operator was conducting the last operations of the day from the remote strip and prior to the accident, light winds existed. The pilot stated the strip was noted to have unusual, local wind conditions, based on experience gathered over the last 15 years of operations in this area. (.4) on an aerial application flight, during initial climb following takeoff at maximum gross weight and a density altitude of 7,400 feet, the aircraft entered a stall/mush condition. The pilot attempted a forced landing in a field, which was soft, and the aircraft nosed over during landing roll.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 09/23/99 AT 1330 MDT, N8731H, A GRUMMAN AG CAT MODEL 164A, IMPACTED THE GROUND FOLLOWING TAKE-OFF FROM A CROP DUSTER STRIP LOCATED IN COTTON CITY, NM, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED UNDER TITLE 14 PART 137 AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS UNINJURED. ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS, GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS SHIFTED APPROX. 120 DEGREES DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SETTLE TO THE GROUND AFTER LIFT-OFF. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED, THE OPERATOR WAS CONDUCTING THE LAST OPERATIONS OF THE DAY FROM THE REMOTE STRIP AND PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, LIGHT WINDS EXISTED. THE PILOT STATED THE STRIP WAS NOTED TO HAVE UNUSUAL, LOCAL WIND CONDITIONS, BASED ON EXPERIENCE GATHERED OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS OF OPERATIONS IN THIS AREA. (.4) ON AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, DURING INITIAL CLIMB FOLLOWING TAKEOFF AT MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AND A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF 7,400 FEET, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STALL/MUSH CONDITION. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, WHICH WAS SOFT, AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER DURING LANDING ROLL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.