FTW98LA252

The left main landing gear tire blew out as the airplane rotated for takeoff. The pilot continued the takeoff and was able to climb without further incident. He proceed to the field that he intended to spray. After dispensing the load of fertilizer, the pilot elected to return to a nearby unobstructed auxiliary airstrip to execute a precautionary landing. The pilot stated that he touched down on the right wheel, and during the landing roll, he tried to keep the weight of the airplane off the left wheel. The airplane started to pull to the left as more weight was placed on the flat left tire. Eventually, the tire dug into the ground resulting in the left main gear assembly collapsing. The reason for the failure of the left main tire could not be determined.

On June 1, 1998, at 1600 central daylight time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164B agricultural airplane, N943QC, was substantially damaged following a loss of control while landing near Coy, Arkansas. The non-instrument rated commercial pilot, sole occupant to the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was owned by Farmer's Flying Service of Coy, Inc., and was being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 137 at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from a local airstrip approximately 15 minutes prior to the accident.

According to the pilot, the left main landing gear tire blew out as the main wheels rotated off the ground during takeoff. The aerial application flight was scheduled to dispense a load of "Urea" fertilizer on a local rice field. After the tire blow out, the pilot continued the takeoff and was able to climb without further incident and proceed to the field he intended to spray.

After dispensing the load of fertilizer, the pilot elected to return to a nearby unobstructed auxiliary airstrip, located 3 miles south of his home base, known as the Coleman Brothers Farm airstrip, to execute a precautionary landing to the north. The pilot stated that he touched down on the right wheel, and during the landing roll, he tried to keep the weight of the airplane off the left wheel. The airplane started to pull to the left as more weight was placed on the flat left tire. Eventually the tire dug into the ground resulting in the left main gear assembly collapsing. The airplane came to rest in the upright position on the east side of the airstrip.

The pilot stated that he had accumulated over 11,000 flight hours, of which 10,347 were in the same make and model of airplane.

Examination of the 1983 turbine powered biplane by the operator revealed that both left wings and the fuselage sustained structural damage. The reason for the failure of the left main tire could not be determined.