- Date
- April 25, 2011, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Estelline, SD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3104SAyres S2R-R1340
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-RAP-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110425007589A
- Case key
- 78920
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 directional control of the airplane during takeoff.
Findings · 1
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 reported that the airplane veered to the left as the tailwheel lifted off the runway during takeoff. He applied right rudder, but the airplane continued to the left. He then applied full right rudder and right brake, at which time, the airplane veered to the right. The airplane continued off the right side of the runway where it crossed a road and traveled through a barbed wire fence prior to coming to rest. The airplane fuselage received substantial damage. The pilot reported there was no malfunction or failure of the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported the airplane veered to the left as the tailwheel lifted off the runway during takeoff for the aerial application flight. He applied right rudder, but the airplane continued to the left. He then applied full right rudder and right brake, at which time, the airplane veered to the right. The airplane continued off the right side of the runway where it crossed a road and traveled through a barbed wire fence prior to coming to rest. The airplane fuselage received substantial damage. The pilot reported there was no malfunction or failure of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3104S
- Reported as
- Ayres S2R-R1340
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- R1340-025
- Airframe hours
- 12,225
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Thompson Farm Air
- Registered owner
- Thompson Scott Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 15, 2011
- Departed
- Estelline, SD
- Destination
- Estelline, SD
- Airport
- PVT · Pvt Airstrip, runway 09, 2,400 × ft, asphalt
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 7, 2010
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 12,866 total · 2,510 in this make and model · 1,006 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- BKX, 19 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 267 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.
Other investigations on N3104S · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.