- Date
- May 22, 2009, 12:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place
- DeWitt, AR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7056UWSK PZL Mielec M-18A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090522007919A
- Case key
- 73907
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the well stand-pipe during the takeoff climb.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot completed five previous aerial application flights in the airplane without incident. Prior to the sixth flight the aircraft was refueled and reloaded with fertilizer. Due to a change in the winds, which became easterly and with slight gusting conditions, the pilot elected to depart the airstrip heading south. During the takeoff roll, the pilot pulled the nose of the airplane up to clear a well stand-pipe located at the south end of the runway. As the pilot applied correction for a slight right drift, "the airplane veered to the right, dropped to the ground, and slammed into a levee," finally stopping in an adjacent field. An examination of the well stand-pipe indicated that the aircraft had impacted the top of the pipe during the takeoff climb. There were no reported malfunctions with the airplane or engine prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot completed 5 previous aerial application flights in the airplane without incident. Prior to the 6th flight, the aircraft was refueled and reloaded with fertilizer. Due to a change in the winds; now easterly and with slight gusting conditions, the pilot elected to depart the airstrip heading south. During the takeoff roll, the pilot pulled the nose of the airplane up to clear a well stand-pipe, located at the south end of the runway. As the pilot applied correction for a slight right drift, "the airplane veered to the right, dropped to the ground, and slammed into a levee" finally stopping in an adjacent field. An examination of the well stand-pipe indicated that the aircraft had impacted the top of the pipe during the takeoff climb. There were no reported malfunctions with the airplane or engine, prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7056U
- Reported as
- WSK PZL Mielec M-18A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1Z024-10
- Airframe hours
- 6,009
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331, 940 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Bullock Billy P DBA
- Registered owner
- Bullock Billy P DBA
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 24, 2009
- Departed
- DeWitt, AR
- Destination
- DeWitt, AR
- Airport
- Pvt · Bullock Flying Service, runway 18, 2,600 × 75 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 23, 2009
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 8,305 total · 4,788 in this make and model · 7,927 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 24, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.