- Date
- June 9, 2015, 16:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wall, SD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4549EAir Tractor AT 401
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150609008669A
- Case key
- 91350
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 adjust the airplane's useful load to compensate for the high temperature, which resulted in an insufficient climb rate to clear surrounding terrain, and a runway excursion.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during takeoff from a private grass airstrip, the airplane would not climb above terrain at the end of the runway and impacted the ground coming to rest in a wheat field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, right aileron, and fuselage. The pilot reported the outside air temperature at the time of the accident was 91 degrees Fahrenheit and the airplane was loaded near its maximum gross takeoff weight of 6,000 pounds. The pilot stated, "The load was too heavy for the weather conditions at this time". The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during takeoff from a private grass airstrip, the airplane would not climb above terrain at the end of the runway and impacted the ground coming to rest in a wheat field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, right aileron, and fuselage. The pilot reported the outside air temperature at the time of the accident was 91 degrees Fahrenheit and the airplane was loaded near its maximum gross takeoff weight of 6,000 pounds. The pilot stated, "The load was too heavy for the weather conditions at this time." The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4549E
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT 401 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 401-0765
- Built
- 1990
- Airframe hours
- 5,001
- Engine
- Aireaserch/Garrett TPE331-1, 665 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 20, 2015
- Departed
- NONE · Wall, SD
- Destination
- NONE · Wall, SD
- Airport
- NONE · Private Airstrip, runway 35, 2,750 × 150 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
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 27, 2014
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 5,152 total · 1,332 in this make and model · 5,009 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- KRAP, 31 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 21, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4549E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.