- Date
- September 6, 2012, 19:00 local (Sep 7, 2012, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Brawley, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4020AAyres S2R-R1340
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120907020559A
- Case key
- 84957
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 decision to attempt to takeoff in high temperatures with a tailwind. Contributing to the accident was the sun glare.
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 he did not notice that the wind shifted while he was reloading product for an agricultural application flight. As a result, he erroneously attempted a downwind takeoff with an outside temperature estimated at 106 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot said that when the airplane lifted off he was looking directly into the setting sun. He further stated that the sun’s position made it difficult to judge his position on the runway. The airplane impacted a ditch on the west end of the runway and nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported no abnormalities with the airplane before the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during an agricultural application flight he had erroneously attempted a downwind takeoff after reloading product with the outside temperature estimated at 106 degrees. The airplane departed from the dirt strip westbound, and the pilot was looking directly into the setting sun. The airplane did not climb and impacted a ditch on the west end of the runway and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported no abnormalities with the aircraft prior to the accident. He stated the wind had shifted while he was reloading and did not notice it until after the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4020A
- Reported as
- Ayres S2R-R1340
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- R1340-002DC
- Engine
- P&W PT 6, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Farm Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Farm Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Brawley, CA
- Destination
- Brawley, CA
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
- 66
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 12, 2011
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 24,472 total · 5,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 102 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.72 inHg
- Observed at
- IPL, 16 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 12, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 390 KB 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.