What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) A pilot operating his at 301 airtractor under part 137 on a private asphalt airstrip crashed off the end of the runway just after becoming airborne. The aircraft was carrying approximately 80 gallons of fuel and 260 gallons of chemical. The pilot did not dump his load after what he said was a loss of power when the aircraft became airborne and was thought to be in ground effect. However the runway slopes downward near the spot where the aircraft became airborne, the aircraft would not fly and went through trees before crashing on the north side of a ravine. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, the pilot was not injured, there was no post crash fire, and weather was not a factor.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) A PILOT OPERATING HIS AT 301 AIRTRACTOR UNDER PART 137 ON A PRIVATE ASPHALT AIRSTRIP CRASHED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY JUST AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CARRYING APPROXIMATELY 80 GALLONS OF FUEL AND 260 GALLONS OF CHEMICAL. THE PILOT DID NOT DUMP HIS LOAD AFTER WHAT HE SAID WAS A LOSS OF POWER WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND WAS THOUGHT TO BE IN GROUND EFFECT. HOWEVER THE RUNWAY SLOPES DOWNWARD NEAR THE SPOT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE, THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT FLY AND WENT THROUGH TREES BEFORE CRASHING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF A RAVINE. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE, AND WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.