# NTSB SEA00LA131: Wsk Pzl Mielec M-18 Dromader, N2054S, Burley, ID, July 11, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 11, 2000, 17:20 local (23:20 UTC) - Place: Burley, ID - Coordinates: 42.389354, -113.779396 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3894&lon=-113.7794&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report July 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49689 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA00LA131 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49689/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA00LA131 ## Probable cause Improper airstrip operations by ground personnel, and the pilot's failure to visually detect a vehicle on the airstrip in time to avoid a collision. Factors included a vehicle on the airstrip, tailwind conditions, and high density altitude conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, go-around (vfr) - object - vehicle (contributing factor) - airport operations - improper, ground personnel (cause) - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - altitude/clearance - not attained, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis After the pilot took off on the accident flight, and unknown to the pilot, the ground crew moved a fertilizer loading truck onto the end of the airstrip. Ground crew witnesses reported that this was not the fertilizer truck's usual or desired parking location. The pilot reported that he did not notice the truck being moved there when he was returning to land, stating that the area is a busy area for agricultural aircraft operations. The pilot stated that he attempted a go-around when he spotted the truck on landing, but that the landing was made with a 10- to 15-knot quartering tailwind, and that the temperature at the airstrip (elevation approximately 4,300 feet) was approximately 98 to 99 degrees F. The pilot stated that he was not able to clear the truck on the go-around, and that the fertilizer spreader on the aircraft caught the truck auger (which was located about 5 to 6 feet above the bin.) The aircraft nosed into a wheat field off the end of the runway, collided with the ground, slid and burned. The pilot escaped the aircraft with minor injuries. Density altitude at the time was approximately 7,800 feet. ## Factual narrative On July 11, 2000, approximately 1720 mountain daylight time, a WSK PZL Mielec M-18 Dromader agricultural aircraft, N2054S, operated by A-1 Aviation of Fairfield, Washington, was destroyed in a collision with a ground vehicle and subsequent collision with terrain during an attempted go-around at a private gravel airstrip approximately 8 miles northwest of Burley, Idaho. The commercial pilot-in-command of the aircraft, who was its sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local 14 CFR 137 agricultural aerial application flight, which originated at the airstrip where the accident occurred. The pilot and witnesses reported that after the pilot took off on the accident flight, and unknown to the pilot, the ground crew moved a fertilizer loading truck onto the end of the strip. Ground crew witnesses reported that this was not the fertilizer truck's usual or desired parking location. The pilot reported that he did not notice the truck being moved there when he was returning to land, stating that the area is a busy area for agricultural aircraft operations with other aircraft operating from the accident airstrip and another private airstrip about 1 mile away. The pilot stated that he attempted a go-around when he spotted the truck on landing, but that the landing was made with a 10- to 15-knot quartering tailwind, and that the temperature at the airstrip (elevation approximately 4,300 feet) was approximately 98 to 99 degrees F. The pilot stated that he was not able to clear the truck on the go-around, and that the fertilizer spreader on the aircraft caught the truck auger (which was located about 5 to 6 feet above the bin.) The aircraft nosed into a wheat field off the end of the runway, collided with the ground, slid and burned. The pilot reported that the fire started just as he got out of the aircraft. Based on a pressure altitude of 4,300 feet and temperature of 99 degrees F, density altitude in the area at the time of the accident was computed to be approximately 7,800 feet. The pilot reported that the accident airstrip was 3,500 feet long, gravel-surfaced, and in good condition. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2054S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2054S-2001-01-04), registration cancelled 2001-01-04, S/N 1Z0011-14 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Wsk Pzl Mielec M-18 DROMADER (M-18 DROMA) - Registry model: [WSK PZL Mielec M-18 DROMADER](https://openairdocs.org/model/wsk-pzl-mielec-m-18-dromader) (registry code 9810104) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1Z0011-14 - Engines: WSK PZL Kalis ASZ-621R-M18 967 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: A-1 Aviation - Registered owner: James R. Davis - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Airport: Rocky Ridge, runway 26, 3,500 × 60 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 16,606 total, 1,800 in this make and model, 16,377 as pilot in command, 77 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 45° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 99 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000711005519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000711005519A), Jul 11, 2000: Burlet, ID, No damage. (-23) The pilot had been conducting agricultural operations with the M-18. While landing at the gravel strip where loading operations were being conducted, the… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.