- Date
- May 15, 2009, 09:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place
- Charleston, MO
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N85115Air Tractor AT-602
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090515007769A
- Case key
- 73910
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 abort the takeoff resulting in a runway overrun and impact with terrain.
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
Witnesses reported that the agricultural airplane attempted to depart the private airstrip with a load of potash, but that the airplane "never made it off the ground" and impacted crops and terrain located at the end of the runway. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The rudder was crushed and the engine separated from the airframe. The pilot did "not remember any of the accident." The accident flight was one of several flights completed that day and the day before. The estimated weight of the airplane at the time of takeoff was 11,200 lbs, and the airplane's maximum gross weight was 12,500 lbs. The runway is approximately 1/2 mile in length with 1,600 feet of asphalt and the remaining runway is grass/turf. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
Witnesses reported that the agricultural airplane attempted to depart the private airstrip with a load of potash, but that the airplane "never made it off the ground" and impacted crops and terrain located at the end of the runway. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The rudder was crushed and the engine separated from the airframe. The pilot did "not remember any of the accident." The accident flight was one of several flights completed that day and the day before. The estimated weight of the airplane at the time of takeoff was 11,200 lbs, and the airplane's maximum gross weight was 12,500 lbs. The runway is approximately 1/2 mile in length with 1,600 feet of asphalt and the remaining runway is grass/turf. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N85115
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-602
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 602-0652
- Airframe hours
- 2,875
- Engine
- Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-60AG, 1,050 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Thompson Flying Service, LLC
- Registered owner
- Thompson Flying Service, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 22, 2009
- Departed
- Charleston, MO
- Destination
- Charleston, MO
- Airport
- runway 36
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
- 35
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 8, 2008
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,187 total · 1,512 in this make and model · 2,110 as pilot in command · 158 in the last 90 days · 106 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 485 KB 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.