What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 31, 2023 an thrush ag aircraft experienced difficulty lifting off of the runway during the takeoff roll. About 3/4 down the runway the pilot elected to dump the 300 gallons of water on board in order to avoid hitting the trees at the end of the runway. The rapid rate of nose up pitching moment exceeded the pilot's ability to counter said moment. The aircraft subsequently exceeded its critical angle of attack and stalled. The aircraft began to lose altitude rapidly. The right wing of the aircraft came in contact with a moment fuel tank about 1/4 NM from the end of the runway. The aircraft then impacted the ground and slid approximately 135 ft. in an empty field and remained in an upright condition. During the accident sequence the left wing of the aircraft hit the ground and experienced severe damage resulting in 3 to 4 feet of wingtip separating from the rest of the wing. The remaining fuel leaked out of the aircraft. There was no evidence of a post-impact fire. The pilot managed to escape from the aircraft and experienced no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 31, 2023 AN THRUSH AG AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY LIFTING OFF OF THE RUNWAY DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. ABOUT 3/4 DOWN THE RUNWAY THE PILOT ELECTED TO DUMP THE 300 GALLONS OF WATER ON BOARD IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE RAPID RATE OF NOSE UP PITCHING MOMENT EXCEEDED THE PILOT'S ABILITY TO COUNTER SAID MOMENT. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY EXCEEDED ITS CRITICAL ANGLE OF ATTACK AND STALLED. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE RAPIDLY. THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT CAME IN CONTACT WITH A MOMENT FUEL TANK ABOUT 1/4 NM FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND AND SLID APPROXIMATELY 135 FT. IN AN EMPTY FIELD AND REMAINED IN AN UPRIGHT CONDITION. DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND AND EXPERIENCED SEVERE DAMAGE RESULTING IN 3 TO 4 FEET OF WINGTIP SEPARATING FROM THE REST OF THE WING. THE REMAINING FUEL LEAKED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A POST-IMPACT FIRE. THE PILOT MANAGED TO ESCAPE FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND EXPERIENCED NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.