What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aerial applicator had started spraying fields at 6:30 am. Fog set in and the pilot had to stop spraying and wait for the fog to clear. At approximately 10:45 am the PIC loaded with 22-30 gallons of fuel (pilot’s estimate based off a float gauge that is only accurate in flight) and a 110 gallon mixture of water, fungicide, and insecticide, same loads taken earlier in the day without compensating for the change in density altitude. The PIC configured the aircraft for takeoff with half flaps (Piper pawnee c owners handbook states “flaps are provided for an increased angle of decent only and should not be used for take-off or climb”) and began his takeoff roll approximately 500 feet prior to the marked runway threshold for runway 32 with a 70° crosswind. The area preceding the runway as a grass covered area that is not maintained as part of the grass runway. The PIC stated he uses the grassy area to get a running start on the runway, crossing the runway threshold at 25-30 mph. Near the midpoint of the runway the left wing and tail began to rise as expected but the right wing was not coming up, so the PIC added full flaps. He reached the end of the runway and rotated for flight but was unable to achieve enough altitude to clear corn measuring 7’-8’ tall that was planted in a field just off the end of the runway. The corn showed signs of impact 5’ 5” off the ground. The aircraft came to rest in the field approximately 325 feet from the end of the runway. Damage to the aircraft included landing gear collapse, propeller strike, damage to leading edges of both wings and left wing separating from fuselage.
During an interview with the PIC he provided a weight and balance report (created after the accident). The report was calculated using 22 gallons of fuel and 110 gallons of chemical, 2890 lbs. Gross weight, max gross weight 2900 lbs.
No weather services at the accident airport, weather info below from a nearby airport.
6:30 Am wind calm temp 20°c dew point 20° c pressure 2990 density altitude 2750 feet
11:00 Am wind 030 @ 8KTS temp 26°c dew point 22°c pressure 2996 density altitude 3360 feet
As the FAA filed it
THE AERIAL APPLICATOR HAD STARTED SPRAYING FIELDS AT 6:30 AM. FOG SET IN AND THE PILOT HAD TO STOP SPRAYING AND WAIT FOR THE FOG TO CLEAR. AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 AM THE PIC LOADED WITH 22-30 GALLONS OF FUEL (PILOT’S ESTIMATE BASED OFF A FLOAT GAUGE THAT IS ONLY ACCURATE IN FLIGHT) AND A 110 GALLON MIXTURE OF WATER, FUNGICIDE, AND INSECTICIDE, SAME LOADS TAKEN EARLIER IN THE DAY WITHOUT COMPENSATING FOR THE CHANGE IN DENSITY ALTITUDE. THE PIC CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR TAKEOFF WITH HALF FLAPS (PIPER PAWNEE C OWNERS HANDBOOK STATES “FLAPS ARE PROVIDED FOR AN INCREASED ANGLE OF DECENT ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR TAKE-OFF OR CLIMB”) AND BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF ROLL APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET PRIOR TO THE MARKED RUNWAY THRESHOLD FOR RUNWAY 32 WITH A 70° CROSSWIND. THE AREA PRECEDING THE RUNWAY AS A GRASS COVERED AREA THAT IS NOT MAINTAINED AS PART OF THE GRASS RUNWAY. THE PIC STATED HE USES THE GRASSY AREA TO GET A RUNNING START ON THE RUNWAY, CROSSING THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AT 25-30 MPH. NEAR THE MIDPOINT OF THE RUNWAY THE LEFT WING AND TAIL BEGAN TO RISE AS EXPECTED BUT THE RIGHT WING WAS NOT COMING UP, SO THE PIC ADDED FULL FLAPS. HE REACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND ROTATED FOR FLIGHT BUT WAS UNABLE TO ACHIEVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR CORN MEASURING 7’-8’ TALL THAT WAS PLANTED IN A FIELD JUST OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE CORN SHOWED SIGNS OF IMPACT 5’ 5” OFF THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE FIELD APPROXIMATELY 325 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDED LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE, PROPELLER STRIKE, DAMAGE TO LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS AND LEFT WING SEPARATING FROM FUSELAGE.
DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PIC HE PROVIDED A WEIGHT AND BALANCE REPORT (CREATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT). THE REPORT WAS CALCULATED USING 22 GALLONS OF FUEL AND 110 GALLONS OF CHEMICAL, 2890 LBS. GROSS WEIGHT, MAX GROSS WEIGHT 2900 LBS.
NO WEATHER SERVICES AT THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT, WEATHER INFO BELOW FROM A NEARBY AIRPORT.
6:30 AM WIND CALM TEMP 20°C DEW POINT 20° C PRESSURE 2990 DENSITY ALTITUDE 2750 FEET
11:00 AM WIND 030 @ 8KTS TEMP 26°C DEW POINT 22°C PRESSURE 2996 DENSITY ALTITUDE 3360 FEET
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.