FTW99LA161

The agricultural airplane settled back to the ground after takeoff to the south from a private air strip 'as if it had encountered a downdraft.' The airplane impacted a levee south of the 2,600 foot air strip and nosed over. Subsequently, a postimpact fire erupted and consumed the airplane's fuselage. The pilot stated that it was his sixth insecticide/fertilizer application flight of the day, and that the airplane had 'lifted off the ground at the same spot it always does.' The pilot added that there was a 'small thunderstorm' north of the air strip at the time of the accident. He reported that the wind had been from 263 degrees at 4 knots all morning. The closest weather reporting station, located about 15 miles southwest of the accident site, reported calm winds. The operator stated that he could find no anomalies with the airframe and engine. He added that the airplane was within weight and balance limitations at the time of the accident.

On June 8, 1999, at 1000 central daylight time, a Wsk Pzl Mielec M-18 agricultural airplane, N52401, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during takeoff from a grass strip near DeWitt, Arkansas. The aircraft was owned and operated by Bullock Flying Service of DeWitt, Arkansas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot stated that the accident occured during the sixth application flight of insecticide/fertilizer that day. The pilot added that during the takeoff roll to the south, the tail wheel had lifted up "at the same spot as always [and] the airplane came off the ground at the same spot it always does." Throughout the day, other agricultural application flights had been taking off to the south from the same 2,600 foot runway with a "light headwind".

The 17,500-hour pilot stated that after takeoff, the airplane settled back to the ground, "as if it had encountered a downdraft." The pilot then pulled the nose of the airplane up, in an attempt to avoid hitting a levee at the departure end of the runway.

The FAA inspector determined, based on ground scars and signatures at the accident site, that the tail wheel of the aircraft impacted the ground 300 to 500 yards beyond the departure end of the runway, followed by the main gear approximately 60 feet later. The aircraft then became airborne again, subsequently impacting the levee shearing the tail wheel from the aircraft. The airplane became airborne once more, and impacted the ground 100 yards beyond the levee, nosed over, and came to rest inverted heading back towards the runway.

The airplane's fuselage was consumed by a postimpact fire, the vertical stabilizer was separated from the empennage, and the engine was found separated from the airframe. The operator stated that he could not find any anomalies with the engine and airframe. He added that the airplane was within weight and balance limitations at the time of the accident.

At 1053, the Monticello Municipal Airport weather facility, which is located about 15 miles southwest of the accident site, was reporting the wind as calm. The pilot stated that the wind had been from 263 degrees at 4 knots all morning. The pilot added that at the time of the accident, a "small thunderstorm" had developed to the north of the grass strip.