- Date
- May 25, 2008, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- McDonald, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4002RAyres S-2R
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080525834749A
- Case key
- 68135
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 failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the soft 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 stated that he had attempted and aborted a takeoff from another runway. On the second takeoff attempt on a soft runway surface, the pilot stated that he decided to abort due to insufficient airspeed when the left brake faded out and the airplane gradually turned to the right and the wheels sank into soft mud and into a ditch. Substantial damage was sustained to the left wing spar which was bent approximately 20 degrees up. The main landing gear was also damaged. The pilot reported his takeoff weight at just 55 pounds less than the maximum allowable gross weight of 6,000 pounds and said one of the reasons for the accident was that he should have loaded a lighter load.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot stated on the Pilot Operator Report (NTSB 6120.1) that he had attempted and aborted a takeoff from another runway. On the second takeoff attempt the pilot stated that he decided to abort due to insufficient airspeed when the left brake faded out and the airplane gradually turned to the right and the wheels sank into soft mud and into a ditch. Substantial damage was sustained to the left wing spar which was bent approximately 20 degrees up. The main landing gear was also damaged. There was no post-crash fire and the pilot reported no injuries. The pilot reported his takeoff weight at just 55 pounds less that the maximum allowable gross weight of 6,000 pounds and said one of the reasons for the accident was that he should have loaded a lighter load.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4002R
- Reported as
- Ayres S-2R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2478R
- Airframe hours
- 13,236
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Frontier Ag Inc.
- Registered owner
- Vollmer Kenneth R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2007
- Departed
- McDonald, KS
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- N/A · Bell Family Farm-not certified, runway 13, 2,600 × 100 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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2007
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 7,535 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 7,490 as pilot in command · 115 in the last 90 days · 115 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.