- Date
- June 8, 2020, 15:25 local (20:25 UTC)
- Place
- Hiawatha, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5092JAir Tractor AT502
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200608011769A
- Case key
- 101410
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 decision to attempt the takeoff with a tailwind in high density altitude conditions.
Findings · 4
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
Prior to the aerial application flight, the airplane was loaded with about 3,400 pounds (lbs) of dry fertilizer and contained about 140 gallons of fuel. The airplane’s estimated weight at the time of the accident was 9,000 lbs, with a maximum gross weight of 9,400 lbs. The pilot reported the temperature was about 95° F, the wind was from 150°; about 6 knots, and runway 35 was rough with tall grass. The calculated density altitude was about 3,900 ft. During the takeoff, the pilot attempted to rotate; however, "the aircraft was not ready to fly." The airplane impacted a field about 500 ft north of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot's recommendation to prevent the accident was "carry lighter loads, less fuel on hot days."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5092J
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT502 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502B-0438
- Built
- 1997
- Airframe hours
- 11,028
- Engine
- Pratt and Whitney PT6A-34AG, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Mcelwain, Floyd W
- Registered owner
- Floyd's Flying Service Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 12, 2020 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- K87 · Hiawatha, KS
- Destination
- K87 · Hiawatha, KS
- Airport
- K87 · Hiawatha Municipal Airport, runway 35, 3,400 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B
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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 25, 2019
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,241 total · 122 in this make and model · 1,184 as pilot in command · 52 in the last 90 days · 48 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 13 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.70 inHg
- Observed at
- FNB, 12 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2020, 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.