# Accident 20150805014859A: Air Tractor Inc AT-401, Nekoosa, WI, August 5, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 5, 2015, 13:30 local time
- Place: Nekoosa, WI
- Airport: Nekoosa, Wi
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: PFKG
- Location: 44.3181° N, 89.9686° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.3181&lon=-89.9686&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1539U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1539U-2021-05-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-401 (registry code 0390204, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-401) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series (registry code 52016, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-401
- Reported engine: P&W R1340 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 443 total, 123 in this make and model, 123 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN15LA345](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA345) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150805014859A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATED ON TAKEOFF ROLL, AIRCRAFT TAIL CAME UP THEN SETTLED BUT CONTINUED TAKE OFF TO ROTATION.  AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO GROUND DEPARTING GROUND EFFECT.  DEPARTING GROUND EFFECT LOAD WAS RELEASED.  AIRCRAFT HIT STANDING CORN AT END OF RUNWAY.

## 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 CEN15LA345](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA345), Aug 5, 2015: Air Tractor AT 401 (N1539U), Nekoosa, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in his attempt to take off for the agricultural application flight with the airplane over its maximum gross weight in high-density altitude…

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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