- Date
- August 4, 1996, 14:10 local (19:10 UTC)
- Place
- Clayton, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9918MEmroth-Emair MA-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 18, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 19934
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 directional control during the takeoff roll. A factor was the wet grass runway.
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 on a wet, grass runway, the airplane began to skid and drift left. The pilot stated he was unable to correct for the drift. The airplane contacted a ditch with about 4 to 6 inches of water in it and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On August 4, 1996, at 1410 central daylight time, an Emroth-Emair MA-1B, N9918M, registered to and operated by Robbie's Flying Service, was substantially damaged during takeoff near Clayton, Louisiana. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The flight was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 137, and a flight plan was not filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll on a wet, grass runway, the airplane began to skid and drift left. The pilot stated he was unable to correct for the drift. The airplane contacted a ditch with about 4 to 6 inches of water in it and nosed over. The wings were structurally damaged, and the engine separated from the fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9918M
- Reported as
- Emroth-Emair MA-1B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 033
- Airframe hours
- 1,990
- Engine
- Curtis Wright R1820-72, 1,200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Robbie'S Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Airport
- NONE · Private Airstrip, runway 27, 3,000 × 80 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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 2,090 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg