FTW96LA236

Shortly after the airplane became airborne, the pilot saw a butane truck drive in front of him on a road that crossed the departure end of the runway. The pilot applied back pressure on the flight controls in an attempt to climb over the truck; however, the airplane's aft fuselage struck the truck, and the airplane then impacted the ground about 50 feet past the truck. Until moments before the accident, the driver of the truck and the pilot of the airplane were not able to see one another due to a line of 30 foot tall trees beside the road.

On June 4, 1996, at 1600 central daylight time, a Rockwell S-2R, N3646X, registered to and operated by a private owner doing business as Southern Air Crop Dusting under Title 14 CFR Part 137, was substantially damaged during takeoff near Dumas, Arkansas. The airline transport rated pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating from the operator's private airport at the time of the accident.

According to the pilot, he was departing on runway 18 with a load of fertilizer. Shortly after becoming airborne, a butane truck pulled in front of his flight path. The pilot reported that he "immediately applied back pressure on the stick in an attempt to go over him;" however, the aft section of the fuselage impacted the truck. The pilot further reported that, following the collision with the truck, the airplane's elevator was inoperative. The airplane impacted the ground approximately 50 feet past the truck, nosed over, and came to rest inverted.

The truck was traveling west on a road that crossed the south end of the runway. Both the driver of the truck and the pilot of the airplane stated that, during the airplane's takeoff roll, their vision of one another was obstructed by a line of 30 foot tall tress that extended down the side of the road. The pilot reported that, since the accident, he has removed the trees "to provide better visibility between the aircraft departing and oncoming traffic."