- Date
- June 4, 1998, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clarksdale, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1502UAir Tractor 502
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980604012589A
- Case key
- 38532
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to extend the flaps for takeoff. A factor was his diverted attention to the loading of the airplane.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he had became distracted by the loader placing a greater amount into the hopper than the previous loads, and as a result, he failed to extend the flaps for takeoff. During the takeoff roll he noted that the airplane was not becoming airborne where it previously had, but thought this was due to the increased load. The airplane went off the end of the runway into a field, collapsing the right main landing gear.
Factual narrative
On June 4, 1998, about 1530 central daylight time, an Air Tractor 502, N1502U, registered to a private individual, was substantially damaged during takeoff from an airstrip near Clarksdale, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. The commercial-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that he became distracted by the loader placing a greater amount into the hopper than the previous loads, and he failed to extend the flaps for takeoff. During the takeoff roll, he noted that the airplane was not becoming airborne where it previously had, but thought this was due to the added load in the hopper. The airplane went off the end of the runway into a bean field, collapsing the right main landing gear. He further stated that there was no preimpact failure or malfunction of the engine or airframe.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1502U
- Reported as
- Air Tractor 502
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502-0139
- Airframe hours
- 2,094
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-34, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Shannon Agricultural Flying
- Registered owner
- Frances W. Shannon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 13, 1998 · 35 hours before
- Airport
- Mascot Planting Co., runway 27, 2,000 × 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
- 39
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 4,794 total · 150 in this make and model · 4,647 as pilot in command · 125 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GWO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.