- Date
- April 25, 2008, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Carlsbad, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N402SKAir Tractor AT-402
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080425844669A
- Case key
- 67888
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 improper decision to takeoff uphill with full fuel and fuel chemical load. A factor was the pilot's failure to calculate performance data.
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
The 15,600 hour commercial rated pilot was initiating the first aerial application flight of the day and decided to make the takeoff with a full fuel load and full hopper of chemicals on an upslope runway. The airplane was not able to establish an initial climb and began to settle back to the ground. The pilot attempted to dump the chemical load, but was unsuccessful and the airplane impacted the ground and cart wheeled, coming to rest in the upright position. The pilot was not injured and was able to exit the aircraft unassisted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, landing gear, engine case, propellers, and empennage. Weather reported at the time of the accident was winds 340 degrees at 23 knots gusting to 28 knots.
Factual narrative
The 15,600 hour commercial rated pilot was initiating the first aerial application flight of the day and decided to make the takeoff with a full fuel load and full hopper of chemicals on an upslope runway. The airplane was not able to establish an initial climb and began to settle back to the ground. The pilot attempted to dump the chemical load but was unsuccessful and the airplane impacted the ground and cart wheeled, coming to rest in the upright position. The pilot was not injured and was able to exit the aircraft unassisted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, landing gear, engine case, propellers, and empennage. Weather reported at the time of the accident was winds 340 degrees at 23 knots gusting to 28 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N402SK
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-402
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 402-0895
- Airframe hours
- 8,462
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A-15AG, 715 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Devil Dusters, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 1, 2007
- Departed
- 62NM · Carlsbad, NM
- Airport
- 62NM · Seven Rivers Airport, runway 28, 3,210 × 30 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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 15,600 total · 4,800 in this make and model · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 23 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KATS, 15 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.