- Date
- August 15, 2003, 18:50 local (23:50 UTC)
- Place
- Hudson, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9187ZAir Tractor AT-502
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Springfield FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030815021639A
- Case key
- 57734
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 failed to abort the takeoff. A factor was the soybean crop.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The Part 137 aerial application airplane sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a private grass airstrip when it contacted the soybean crop. The pilot reported the airplane was loaded with 405 gallons of chemical and both wings were 3/4 full of Jet A fuel. He reported that during takeoff roll the right wingtip and right spray boom "caught the soybeans at the end of the runway." The airplane veered to the right and skidded sideways. He reported extensive damage to the wings, engine, and propeller. He reported there was no mechanical malfunction of the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
On August 15, 2003, at 1850 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502, N9187Z, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a private grass airstrip near Hudson, Illinois. The pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight was departing on a local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported the airplane was loaded with 405 gallons of chemical and both wings were 3/4 full of Jet A fuel. He reported that during takeoff roll the right wingtip and right spray boom "caught the soybeans at the end of the runway." The airplane veered to the right and skidded sideways. He reported extensive damage to the wings, engine, and propeller. He reported there was no mechanical malfunction of the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9187Z
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-502
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502-0223
- Airframe hours
- 4,746
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A-15AG, 680 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Jeffrey Dungan
- Registered owner
- Larry Neal
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 30, 2002 · 180 hours before
- Departed
- 04IL · Hudson, IL
- Airport
- 04IL · Private Airstrip, runway 36, 2,500 × 125 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
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- April 27, 2003
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 3,699 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 3,530 as pilot in command · 163 in the last 90 days · 109 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- BMI, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.