- Date
- March 15, 2012, 09:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Cheyenne Wells, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7306CAir Tractor AT-301A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120315006459A
- Case key
- 83522
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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during takeoff.
Findings · 3
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
During the departure roll from a dirt airstrip, the airplane encountered wind shear. The pilot was unable to get the airplane off the ground, and the airplane hit a fence post when it overran the end of the airstrip. The right wing was substantially damaged during the impact.
Factual narrative
During the departure roll from a dirt strip, the agricultural spray airplane encountered wind shear. The pilot was unable to get the airplane off the ground and the airplane hit a fence post when it overran the end of the airstrip. The right wing was substantially damaged during the impact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7306C
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-301A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0606
- Airframe hours
- 4,087
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Nickel D LLC
- Registered owner
- Nickel D LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 13, 2012
- Departed
- Cheyenne Wells, CO
- Destination
- Cheyenne Wells, CO
- Airport
- PVT · Private Field, runway 09, 5,000 × 25 ft, dirt
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
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 3, 2012
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 3,280 total · 174 in this make and model · 130 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KITR
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 21, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 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.