20210109004429A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Air Tractor AT-502 · Cushing, OK · January 9, 2021

Date: January 9, 2021 · 03:00 local
Place: Cushing, OK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4540C
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN21LA110
Reported as: Air Tractor AT-502
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,198 total61 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N4540CRegistration cancelled Nov 21, 2022 · Air Tractor AT-502S/N 502-0119 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-502

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.

The pilot taxied out to the end of a private strip and noticed the ground was soft. The pilot decided to keep rolling and conduct a soft field takeoff. When the aircraft lifted off the ground the pilot didn't push the nose over quick enough to accelerate in ground effect. The aircraft stalled approximately 30 feet in the Air causing substantial damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT TAXIED OUT TO THE END OF A PRIVATE STRIP AND NOTICED THE GROUND WAS SOFT. THE PILOT DECIDED TO KEEP ROLLING AND CONDUCT A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF THE GROUND THE PILOT DIDN'T PUSH THE NOSE OVER QUICK ENOUGH TO ACCELERATE IN GROUND EFFECT. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET IN THE AIR CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

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 CEN21LA110Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCushing, OKThe pilot’s decision to takeoff from unsuitable terrain which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with terrain.Jan 9, 2021 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4540C · 1

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

Accident 19960315004319ATexarkana, ARPower failure, not enough field to land. Couldn't make it over trees at end. Opted for safest spot in trees. (-23) on March 15, 1996, at 0950 CST, an air tractor 502, operated by garland aviation received substantial damage during a forced landing about 8…Mar 15, 1996 · Destroyed