- Date
- July 11, 2009, 20:30 local (Jul 12, 2009, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Elwood, NE
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4990QCessna A188B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090711010349A
- Case key
- 74253
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 inability to maintain a climb after takeoff due to wind shift or downdraft.
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 attempted to takeoff from a private grass strip and struck standing corn at the departure end the runway causing the airplane to flip over and land inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot received only minor injuries. The airplane was loaded with 120 gallons of fungicide and between 1/2 to 3/4 fuel and no mechanical abnormalities were noted prior to the accident. Weight and balance calculations indicated that the airplane was within maximum gross weight and center of gravity limits for the conditions at takeoff. The pilot stated that he had a slight headwind but after a normal liftoff from the runway, he felt like he encountered either a wind shift or downdraft.
Factual narrative
The pilot attempted to takeoff from a private grass strip and struck standing corn at the departure end the runway causing the airplane to flip over and land inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot received only minor injuries. The airplane was loaded with 120 gallons of fungicide and between 1/2 to 3/4 fuel and no mechanical abnormalities were noted prior to the accident. Weight and balance calculations indicated that the airplane was within maximum gross weight and center of gravity limits for the conditions at takeoff. The pilot stated that he had a slight headwind but after a normal liftoff from the runway, he felt like he encountered either a wind shift or downdraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4990Q
- Reported as
- Cessna A188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802724T
- Airframe hours
- 5,113
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Bornemeier Joel E, doing business as Bornemeier Aerial Spraying, Inc
- Registered owner
- Bornemeier Joel E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 12, 2009 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- Elwood, NE
- Destination
- 8NE4 · Elwood, NE
- Airport
- 8NE4 · Bornemeier Airstrip, runway 12, 1,800 × 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
- 64
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 16, 2007
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 6,280 total · 2,040 in this make and model · 6,265 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KPMV, 18 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 27, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 951 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.