# Accident 20150801011289A: Air Tractor Inc AT-502B, Virden, IL, August 1, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 1, 2015, 13:30 local time
- Place: Virden, IL
- Airport: Holzwarth Flying Service Airpo
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: Z1HG
- Location: 39.5167° N, 89.8761° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5167&lon=-89.8761&mi=10
- Aircraft: N502LH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N502LH-2015-12-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502B (registry code 0390307, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34AG (registry code 52251, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-34ag) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502B
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6A-34AG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 11,709 total, 450 in this make and model, 293 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN15LA335](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA335) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150801011289A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED A DEPARTURE FROM 25IL (HOLZWARTH FLYING SERVICE AIRPORT) RUNWAY 27.  DURING THE CHEMICAL LOAD AND TAXI TO THE RUNWAY THE PILOT VERIFIED THE WINDS VIA THE TWO WINDSOCKS AND A GARMIN HANDHELD GPS WITH WEATHER CAPABILITY.  THIS WAS THE 6TH LOAD FOR THE PILOT THAT DAY. THROUGHOUT THE DAY THE WINDS HAD BEEN SHIFTING REQUIRING THE USE OF BOTH RUNWAY 27 AND 9.  UPON TAKEOFF THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB.  AT THIS TIME THE PILOT INITIATED A LOAD DUMP.  HE CONTINUED THE DUMP UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT ATTAINED A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB.  AT THIS TIME THE PILOT DISCONTINUED THE LOAD DUMP.  AS THE AIRCRAFT PASSED FROM THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT TO THE CORN FIELD AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE.  THE PILOT RESTARTED THE LOAD DUMP AGAIN, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE CORN AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE GROUND.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND CAME TO REST FACING 180 DEGREES FROM DEPARTURE HEADING AND 1200FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.  WITNESSES STATED THAT DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT THE WINDS WERE OUT OF THE SOUTH-EAST (CAUSING A QUARTERING TAILWIND) AT AROUND 6 KNOTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN15LA335](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA335), Aug 1, 2015: Air Tractor AT 502B (N502LH), Virden, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to establish a proper airspeed during takeoff with the airplane near its maximum gross weight and with a quartering tailwind.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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