- Date
- June 23, 1993, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wheatley, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N116RAPzl-Mielec M-18A Dromader
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930623019919A
- Case key
- 18779
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 operation of the airplane beyond its takeoff performance limitations and inadvertent stall. A factor was high density altitude.
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
During the takeoff roll, as the airplane reached the end of the airstrip, the pilot dumped the load and attempted to climb. The left wing struck the ground and the airplane settled to the terrain collapsing the left main landing gear. The pilot had been operating at the same weights from the airstrip all day. During the day, temperature increased. Field elevation and density altitude were 230 and 2,200 feet MSL respectively.
Factual narrative
On June 23, 1993, at approximately 1630 central daylight time, a WSK PXL MIELEC, M-18A Dromader, N116RA, sustained substantial damage when the airplane impacted the terrain during takeoff from a private airstrip near Wheatley, Arkansas. The commercial pilot did not sustain injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight.
During a telephone interview, conducted by the investigator in charge with the pilot, the following information was revealed. The pilot had been operating the airplane with the same load weights from the grass airstrip throughout the day. During the day, the temperature and winds increased. The pilot reported the winds from the south southeast at 5 knots and gusty with a temperature of 92 degrees Fahrenheit and a high humidity. The pilot further stated that as the airplane reached the end of the runway, he started dumping the load and pulled the airplane off the ground. As the airplane settled and the left wing hit the ground, the left main gear separated from the airframe and the airplane spun around approximately 180 degrees and slid to a stop.
The private agricultural airport elevation was 230 feet MSL. Density altitude was approximately 2,200 feet MSL. On the recommendations section of the enclosed pilot report. NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot entered "longer strip or lower tmperature."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N116RA
- Reported as
- Pzl-Mielec M-18A Dromader (M-18A DROM)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1Z020-02
- Engine
- Pezetel ASZ-621R-M18, 967 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Ives Brothers, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Airport
- NONE · None, runway 18, 2,500 × 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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,069 total · 98 in this make and model · 1,000 as pilot in command · 110 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 135° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.