GAA19CA339

NTSB accident investigation · Air Tractor AT502 · San Benito, TX · June 13, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
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.

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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.

Performance/control parameters: angle of attackAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceededAir Tractor AT-502B: 6 casesAll aircraft: 990 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAir Tractor AT-502B: 22 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Aircraft capability: maximum weightAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not specifiedAir Tractor AT-502B: 3 casesAll aircraft: 152 casesProbable cause

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.