- Date
- May 16, 1994, 07:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- De Witt, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N448ATAyres S2R-G6
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940516011209A
- Case key
- 19055
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
A stall/mush into terrain after the pilot inadvertently raised the flaps.
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, the pilot lowered the flaps to 10 degrees. As the pilot moved his hand from the flap switch back to the power lever, the flaps were inadvertently bumped to zero degrees at the time of rotation. The left main gear hit a levee at the departure end of the runway and the aircraft crashed.
Factual narrative
On May 16, 1994, at 0730 central daylight time, an Ayres S2R-G6, N448AT, was substantially damaged during the takeoff near De Witt, Arkansas. The commercial pilot did not receive injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight.
During a telephone interview the operator reported the left main gear hit a levee at the departure end of the 2,500 foot sod runway. Left wing spar, engine, and propeller damage occurred as a forced landing was made to a field. The airplane was loaded with 400 pounds of herbicide and this was the fifth load for the day. There were no mechanical discrepancies reported.
The pilot/operator report stated that during the takeoff roll the flaps were lowered to 10 degrees. While moving his hand from the flap switch back to the power lever, the flaps were inadvertently bumped to zero degrees at the time of airplane rotation. "This caused a settling effect and contact with embankment" according to the enclosed report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N448AT
- Reported as
- Ayres S2R-G6
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- G6-104
- Airframe hours
- 870
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331-6-25M, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Double A Flying Service, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 1994 · 250 hours before
- Airport
- NONE · Double A West
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
- 27
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 4,300 total · 660 in this make and model · 250 in the last 90 days · 130 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBF, 25 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.