- Date
- June 5, 2023, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bakersfield, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6174WAir Tractor AT-502B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20230605008999A
- Case key
- 192320
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 use of flaps during the takeoff sequence which resulted in a runway overrun and collision with trees.
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
According to the pilot, he configured the flaps to 20° while he waited for the aerial application airplane to take on 50 gallons of fuel and 400 pounds of fertilizer. He taxied onto the 2,600 ft long asphalt runway, for his 4th aerial application flight of the day. The pilot applied brakes and full power before he released the brakes to initiate the takeoff roll. About 1,300 ft down the runway, the airplane remained on the ground. The pilot applied back pressure to the control stick and the airplane ascended about 10 feet above ground level. The airplane would not climb, and the pilot applied full flaps. The airplane subsequently settled back onto the remaining 1/3rd of the runway. The pilot reported that he did not observe any cockpit instrument cautions or warnings illuminated. The airplane overran the departure end of the runway and collided with trees. The manufacturer’s airplane flight manual (AFM) contains a warning that stated, when taking off from a short-field runway, full flaps should not be used during the takeoff sequence. The use of full flaps creates large amounts of drag, lengthens the ground roll, and impairs climb performance. The pilot submitted an NTSB Form 6120.1, Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, but did not include pages 9 and 10, which encompassed the pilot’s narrative, and his assertion regarding a mechanical malfunction during the sequence of events.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6174W
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-502B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502B-0351
- Built
- 1996
- Airframe hours
- 8,699
- Engine
- P&W PT6A, 500 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Wheeler Ridge Aviation Inc, doing business as Wheeler Ridge Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Wheeler Ridge Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 1, 2023
- Airport
- 0 · Company Airstrip, runway 27, 2,500 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 7, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,847.1 total · 770.2 in this make and model · 5,847.1 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.71 inHg
- Observed at
- KBFL, 21 nm away
- METAR
- KBFL 052254Z 33015KT 7SM CLR 27/11 A2971 RMK AO2 SLP054 T02720111
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 4, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 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.