20150604010159A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Air Tractor AT-602 · Branch, LA · June 4, 2015

Date: June 4, 2015 · 15:01 local
Place: Branch, LA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: SDJG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N5035R
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN15LA276
Reported as: Air Tractor AT-602
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 10,600 total455 in this make and model270 in the last 90 days

N5035RRegistration cancelled May 30, 2018 · Air Tractor AT-602S/N 602-0426 · Built 1997 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-602 Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On 6/4/2015 the pilot was flying a 1997 at 602 carring approximatly 3000LBS of 27-17-17 fertilizer. The pilot was taking off from the fruge airstrip in Branch Louisiana, the aircraft was full of fuel.

During take-off, the aircraft was at full throttle and had lifted off. Near the end of the Air strip, the engine lost power. The pilot suspects the bleed value on the engine failed and started losing power. The pilot was unable to dump his load and hit the water and lost complete control.

When the aircraft stopped, it was upside down and the pilot unbuckeled himself and got out. The pilot said he changed the bleed valve out at 86 hours prior to the accident.

As the FAA filed it

ON 6/4/2015 THE PILOT WAS FLYING A 1997 AT 602 CARRING APPROXIMATLY 3000LBS OF 27-17-17 FERTILIZER. THE PILOT WAS TAKING OFF FROM THE FRUGE AIRSTRIP IN BRANCH LOUISIANA, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FULL OF FUEL.

DURING TAKE-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT FULL THROTTLE AND HAD LIFTED OFF. NEAR THE END OF THE AIR STRIP, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT SUSPECTS THE BLEED VALUE ON THE ENGINE FAILED AND STARTED LOSING POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO DUMP HIS LOAD AND HIT THE WATER AND LOST COMPLETE CONTROL.

WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED, IT WAS UPSIDE DOWN AND THE PILOT UNBUCKELED HIMSELF AND GOT OUT. THE PILOT SAID HE CHANGED THE BLEED VALVE OUT AT 86 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN15LA276Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBranch, LAAn exceedance of the airplane's takeoff/climb capability, which resulted in a stall during initial climb at an altitude that was too low for recovery.Jun 4, 2015 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5035R · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20140219003689AManeuver · Church Point, LADuring low level application of fertilizer (70 ft AGL), pilot said he experienced an engine surge then loss of power. Pilot climbed to 250 ft AGL and looked for nearest field to land aircraft with no power. Landed aircraft in field, but did not have enough…Feb 19, 2014 · Substantial damage