- Date
- April 21, 2020, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mamou, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N653LAAir Tractor AT 602
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20200421008739A
- Case key
- 101192
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 airplane's encounter with a sunken area during takeoff from a turf runway, which resulted in the airplane becoming prematurely airborne and impacting a tree and then 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
The pilot reported that the turf airstrip had a "sunken area," which created a "ramp." During takeoff, the airplane encountered this portion of the airstrip and became "airborne prematurely." The airplane subsequently settled into ground effect; however, the left wing impacted a small tree near the end of the runway, and the airplane then pitched "downward and left," and the airplane was unable to maintain altitude. The airplane impacted a field off the end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the turf airstrip had a "sunken area" which created a "ramp." During takeoff, when the airplane encountered this portion of the airstrip, it became "airborne prematurely." The airplane subsequently settled into ground effect; however, the left wing impacted a small tree near the end of the runway. The collision caused the airplane to pitch "downward and left" and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude. The airplane came to rest in a muddy rice field off the end of the runway with damage to the wings and fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N653LA
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT 602 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 602-0653
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 9,550
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60AG, 1,050 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Central Farmers Cooperative, doing business as Central Farmers Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Central Farmers Cooperative
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 17, 2020 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · Mamou, LA
- Destination
- PVT · Mamou, LA
- Airport
- N/A · Deculus Satellite Airstrip, runway 18, 3,550 × 70 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 8, 2019
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 7,700 total · 756 in this make and model · 7,618 as pilot in command · 125 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- ACP, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 19, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 33.0 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.
Other investigations on N653LA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.