- Date
- June 13, 2019, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- San Benito, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N103CKAir Tractor AT502
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190613006869A
- Case key
- 99625
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 improper decision to take off with the airplane near its maximum allowable gross takeoff weight and his subsequent exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 3
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff with a "heavy load" from a 2,600-ft-long private runway, the airplane lifted off, but "due to a shifting wind and high density altitude," the airplane aerodynamically stalled and impacted a field at the end of the runway. The airplane nosed over and was consumed by a postimpact fire. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the airplane's gross weight at the time of the accident was 9,350 lbs, and the manufacturer's maximum gross takeoff weight was 9,400 lbs. An automated weather observation station located 6 miles north of the accident site reported that, about 37 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 190° at 10 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, scattered clouds at 5,000 ft, temperature 90° F, dew point 70° F, and altimeter setting 30.04 inches of mercury. The same automated station reported that, about 22 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 040° at 6 knots. The airplane was departing from runway 12.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff with a "heavy load" from a 2,600 ft private runway, the airplane lifted off, but "due to a shifting wind and high density altitude" the airplane aerodynamically stalled and impacted a field at the end of the runway. The airplane nosed over and was consumed by a postimpact fire. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the gross weight of the airplane at the time of the accident was 9,350 pounds, and the manufacturer's maximum gross takeoff weight was 9,400 pounds. The automated weather observation station, located 6 miles north of the accident, reported that, about 37 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 190° at 10 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, scattered clouds at 5,000 ft, temperature 90°, dew point 70°, altimeter setting 30.04" Hg. The same automated station reported that, about 22 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 040° at 6 knots. The calculated density altitude was 2,189 ft. The airplane was departing on runway 12.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N103CK
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT502 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502B-2795
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 3,700
- Engine
- P&W Canada PT6A-34AG, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Sun Valley Dusting Co
- Registered owner
- Sun Valley Dusting Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 17, 2019
- Departed
- 53XS · San Benito, TX
- Destination
- 53XS · San Benito, TX
- Airport
- 53XS · Kornegay Private, runway 12, 2,600 × 20 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 4, 2018
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 900 in this make and model · 3,000 as pilot in command · 350 in the last 90 days · 300 in the last 30 days · 20 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KHRL, 6 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 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.