WELSH, LA, USA
N30982
Ayres S2R-T34
The pilot reported that the he was making his 7th takeoff that day from a grass airstrip which was oriented perpendicular to a gravel road located just beyond the departure end. Just as the aircraft lifted off, approximately 5-6 feet AGL, the pilot caught a glimpse of a truck passing from right to left along the gravel road. An instant later, the main landing gear and propeller impacted the truck. The aircraft came to rest in a pasture approximately 150 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Both the truck and aircraft were structurally damaged. The pilot also reported that the runway end was not marked adjacent to the road and did not have a designated overrun area. Additionally, the gravel road was lined with 'sparse bushes and tall trees' which made it difficult for the pilot and the driver of the truck to see each other.
On May 22, 1997, at 1630 central daylight time, an Ayers S2R-T34 agricultural airplane, N30982, was substantially damaged following a collision with a truck during initial takeoff climb near Welsh, Louisiana. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by Deep South Flying Service Inc., Jennings, Louisiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating from a private airstrip at the time of the accident. In a telephone interview with the IIC, the pilot reported that the he was making his 7th take off that day from a grass airstrip which was oriented perpendicular to a gravel road located just beyond the departure end. Just as the aircraft lifted off, approximately 5 to 6 feet AGL, the pilot caught a glimpse of a truck passing from right to left along the gravel road. An instant later, the main landing gear and propeller impacted the truck. The aircraft came to rest in a pasture approximately 150 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Both the truck and aircraft were structurally damaged. The pilot also reported that the runway end was not marked adjacent to the road and did not have a designated overrun area. Additionally, the gravel road was lined with "sparse bushes and tall trees" which made it difficult for the pilot and the driver of the vehicle to see each other.
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a moving vehicle. Factors were: the lack of runway signs and a runway safety area, and the difficulty for the pilot and driver of the vehicle to visually detect each other due to high vegetation at the edge of the runway.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
