What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot departed private landing strip (trinkle ag flying, inc) located at 25001 kasson road, Tracy, CA, at approx. 0600 hours heading northwest, first flight, full load of liquid fertilizer, 75 gals. Of fuel. Approximately one mile from the airstrip at approx. 150 feet AGL, the pilot noticed a change in the sound of the engine while still climbing out. Manifold pressure was slightly higher than it should have been (2" hg). The aircraft was now failing to climb and the pilot assumed a level pitch attitude. Fearing a collision with high voltage transmission towers in the aircraft flight path, the pilot initiated a slight left bank turn, (approx. 2-5 degrees), leveled off out of the path of any obstacles and the aircraft began losing altitude. At this time the pilot increased manifold pressure to 37" hg, aircraft was unresponsive, failing to climb or hold altitude. At approx. 50-75 feet AGL the pilot attempted to initiate an emergency dump of the load and before he could successfully discharge the load, the aircraft impacted the terrain (bean field) coming to rest inverted.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT DEPARTED PRIVATE LANDING STRIP (TRINKLE AG FLYING, INC) LOCATED AT 25001 KASSON ROAD, TRACY, CA, AT APPROX. 0600 HOURS HEADING NORTHWEST, FIRST FLIGHT, FULL LOAD OF LIQUID FERTILIZER, 75 GALS. OF FUEL. APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE FROM THE AIRSTRIP AT APPROX. 150 FEET AGL, THE PILOT NOTICED A CHANGE IN THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE WHILE STILL CLIMBING OUT. MANIFOLD PRESSURE WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN (2" HG). THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOW FAILING TO CLIMB AND THE PILOT ASSUMED A LEVEL PITCH ATTITUDE. FEARING A COLLISION WITH HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION TOWERS IN THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT PATH, THE PILOT INITIATED A SLIGHT LEFT BANK TURN, (APPROX. 2-5 DEGREES), LEVELED OFF OUT OF THE PATH OF ANY OBSTACLES AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT INCREASED MANIFOLD PRESSURE TO 37" HG, AIRCRAFT WAS UNRESPONSIVE, FAILING TO CLIMB OR HOLD ALTITUDE. AT APPROX. 50-75 FEET AGL THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO INITIATE AN EMERGENCY DUMP OF THE LOAD AND BEFORE HE COULD SUCCESSFULLY DISCHARGE THE LOAD, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN (BEAN FIELD) COMING TO REST INVERTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8981H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.