# NTSB ERA10LA450: Air Tractor AT402, N4172U, Pompano Beach, FL, August 28, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 28, 2010, 07:55 local (11:55 UTC) - Place: Pompano Beach, FL - Coordinates: 26.246944, -80.111114 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.2469&lon=-80.1111&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 3, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: Hartzell Propeller Inc., FAA/FSDO, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Air Tractor, Inc., TSB Canada - NTSB case key (mKey): 77109 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10LA450 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77109/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77109 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA450 ## Probable cause The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff, which resulted in a runway overrun and a subsequent collision with obstacles and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the airplane's high gross weight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=0390208), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: weight/balance calculations](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061015/cases.md?model=0390208), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061015/cases.md) - [Aircraft capability: takeoff distance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061025): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Related operating info; cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061025/cases.md?model=0390208), [All aircraft, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061025/cases.md) - [Manufacture/production: document/info production](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04013020): Organizational issues › Development · Manufacturer; cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04013020/cases.md?model=0390208), [All aircraft, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04013020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md?model=0390208), [All aircraft, 252 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=0390208), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402B, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0390208), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The purpose of the flight was to deliver the agricultural airplane, which had accumulated about 10 total hours since new, to its owner. The pilot was attempting to depart from a 3,502-foot-long asphalt runway. The pilot reported that the airplane accelerated to takeoff speed and lifted off without incident; however, it would not climb out of ground effect and settled back on to the runway. The pilot continued the takeoff attempt, allowing the airplane to gain speed while on the ground for another 1,000 feet, and rotated again as the airplane approached the end of the runway. The airplane climbed to about 10 to 15 feet above the ground before settling again onto a grass area that extended about 600 feet beyond the runway. The pilot subsequently aborted the takeoff. The airplane traveled through a chain link fence and struck trees. A postaccident examination of the airframe, engine, and propeller assemblies did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. The airplane weighed about 8,384 pounds during the takeoff. While the normal maximum takeoff weight for the airplane was 7,000 pounds, the airplane's maximum gross weight for agricultural purposes was 9,170 pounds. According to a representative of the airplane’s manufacturer, at the conditions reported at the time of the accident the airplane's ground roll was estimated to be 3,373 feet, and the air distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle was an additional 3,195 feet. While the pilot did not indicate that he performed an assessment of the required takeoff distance for the flight, the investigation also discovered that the airplane’s flight manual did not provide a takeoff distance chart for a takeoff weight above 7,000 pounds. ## Factual narrative On August 28, 2010, about 0755 eastern daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-402B, N4172U, operated by Frost Flying Inc., was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during an aborted takeoff from Pompano Beach Airpark (PMP), Pompano Beach, Florida. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight destined for Borinquen, Puerto Rico. The positioning flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate in the restricted category for the purposes of "Agriculture and Pest Control/Forrest" on May 21, 2010. It was equipped with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-15AG, 680-horsepower engine. At the time of the accident, the airplane, which had accumulated about 10 hours since new, was being flown to Puerto Rico en route for delivery to its owner in Brazil. The pilot reported that he was attempting to takeoff from runway 10, a 3,502-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway, utilizing 10 degrees of flaps. The airplane accelerated to takeoff speed and lifted-off without incident; however, it would not climb out of ground effect and settled back on to the runway. The pilot continued the takeoff attempt and rotated again as the airplane approached the end of the runway. The airplane climbed to about 10 to 15 feet above the ground, before settling again, onto a grass area beyond the runway. The pilot subsequently aborted the takeoff; however, the airplane traveled through a chain link fence and struck trees. It sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage, before coming to rest in a parking lot. The distance between the end of the runway and the fence was about 600 feet. According to an FAA inspector, the pilot reported that he observed white smoke coming from the engine exhaust when the airplane first lifted off and attempted to climb. In addition, the airplane rolled about 100 to 150 feet on the grass before the pilot elected to abort the takeoff. The inspector noted that the airplane was equipped with a smoke system; which would have been consistent with the smoke reported by the pilot; however, it could not be determined if the source of the smoke was from the smoke system. Initial examination of the airframe and engine by representatives from Air Tractor, and Pratt Whitney Canada, under the supervision of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. Additional examination of the engine conducted at Pratt & Whitney Canada, Bridgeport, West Virginia, under the supervision of an NTSB Investigator did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. The power section was damaged consistent with impact forces sustained in the accident. The gas generator section was not damaged and subsequently mated with a "slave" power section for anoperational test. The results of the tests demonstrated that the gas generator was capable of normal operation. Additional examination of the propeller conducted at Hartzell Propeller Inc., Piqua, Ohio, under the supervision of an FAA inspector, did not reveal any discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation. Damage to the propeller was consistent with rotation; however, the specific power output could not be determined. The pilot, age 68 was a former airline pilot. He reported 34,546 hours of total flight experience, which included 613 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot had accumulated approximately 126 and 45 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane, during the 90 and 30 days preceding the accident; respectively. His most recent application for an FAA first-class medical certificate was issued on January 22, 2010. Weather reported at the airport about the time of the accident included, winds from 080 degrees at 6 knots, and a temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit. The airplane was loaded with additional fuel for the delivery flight. According to the pilot, the airplane's weight at the time of the accident was 8,384 pounds. According to the Air Tractor AT-402B type certificate, the normal maximum takeoff weight was 7,000 pounds; however, for agricultural purposes the airplane's maximum gross weight was 9,170 pounds. The Air Tractor AT-402B airplane flight manual (AFM) did not provide a takeoff distance chart for a gross weight above 7,000 pounds. According to an Air Tractor representative, at the conditions reported at the time of the accident, the airplane's ground roll was estimated to be 3,373 feet, and the air distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle was an additional 3,195 feet. The AFM recommend a flap setting of 10-degrees for takeoffs with full-hopper loads and short fields. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4172U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4172U), registered now, S/N 402B-1228, built 2010 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR AT402 (B) - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-402B](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-402b) (registry code 0390208) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-15AG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-15ag) (registry code 52246, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 402B-1228 - Airframe hours: 9 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-15AG 680 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Frost Flying Inc. - Registered owner: Frost Flying Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Unknown, May 21, 2010, 9 hours before - Departed: PMP, Pompano Beach, FL - Destination: BQN, Boringuen, PR - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: PMP, Pompano Beach, runway 10, 3,502 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: none; private, commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 12, 2009; seat: front; flight hours: 34,546 total, 613 in this make and model, 25,213 as pilot in command, 126 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 77 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: PMP, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100828045429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100828045429A), Aug 28, 2010: Air Tractor AT-402B, Pompano Beach, FL, Substantial damage. The pilot reported that he was attempting to takeoff from runway 10, a 3,502-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphaltrunway. The airplane accelerated to takeoff speed… ## Docket (12 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 12, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77109. 3.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (item 1, .PDF, 478 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349349&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%2F2-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector and Additional Personnel Statements (item 2, .PDF, 189 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40350612&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20and%20Additional%20Personnel%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - Airport Diagram (item 3, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349359&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airport%20Diagram-Master.PDF - Special Airworthiness Certificate (item 4, .PDF, 36 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349352&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Special%20Airworthiness%20Certificate-Redacted.PDF - Maintenance Records (exceprts) (item 5, .PDF, 260 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349648&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20(exceprts)-Redacted.PDF - Airplane Flight Manual Excerpt (Takeoff Performance) (item 6, .PDF, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40350588&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airplane%20Flight%20Manual%20Excerpt%20(Takeoff%20Performance)-Master.PDF - Engine and Propeller Examination Reports (excerpts – included with the permission of the respective manufacturer representative) (item 7, .PDF, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349355&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20and%20Propeller%20Examination%20Reports%20(excerpts%20%E2%80%93%20included%20with%20the%20permission%20of%20the%20respective%20manufacturer%20representative)-Master.PDF - Pompano Beach Airport Weather Observations (item 8, .PDF, 17 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349646&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pompano%20Beach%20Airport%20Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 9, .PDF, 188 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349350&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Photograph # 1 – View of airplane as it came to rest (Provided by Federal Aviation Administration Inspector) (item 10, .PDF, 432 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40350570&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%23%201%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20airplane%20as%20it%20came%20to%20rest%20(Provided%20by%20Federal%20Aviation%20Administration%20Inspector)-Master.PDF - Photograph # 2 – View of airplane as it came to rest looking west at front of airplane. (Provided by Federal Aviation Administration Inspector) (item 11, .PDF, 428 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40350604&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%23%202%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20airplane%20as%20it%20came%20to%20rest%20looking%20west%20at%20front%20of%20airplane.%20(Provided%20by%20Federal%20Aviation%20Administration%20Inspector)-Master.PDF - Photograph # 3 – Engine in test cell at Pratt & Whitney Canada facility prior to test run (item 12, .PDF, 934 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40350593&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%23%203%20%E2%80%93%20Engine%20in%20test%20cell%20at%20Pratt%20%26%20Whitney%20Canada%20facility%20prior%20to%20test%20run-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.