CORCORAN, CA, USA
N53241
CESSNA A188B
ACCORDING TO STATEMENTS FROM BOTH THE PILOT AND HIS GROUND LOADER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL WHEN A SUDDEN 90 DEGREE CROSSWIND GUST CAUSED THE PILOT TO MOMENTARILY LOOSE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE PILOT RECOVERED CONTROL AND CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF. IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFT OFF, A SECOND AND STRONGER CROSSWIND GUST BEGAN PUSHING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT INTO A LINE OF TELEPHONE POLES PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO DUMP THE LOAD OF CHEMICALS IN ORDER TO CLEAR THE POLES BUT THE MECHANISM MOMENTARILY JAMMED AND THE LOAD DID NOT TOTALLY JETTISON. THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE POLE, SHEARING IT OFF. THE AIRCRAFT THEN CRASHED INTO AN ADJACENT SANTA FE RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT THE STEADY STATE CROSSWIND COMPONENT WAS 10 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KNOTS. CESSNA AIRCRAFT ESTIMATED THAT THE MAXIMUM CROSSWIND COMPONENT CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS 13 KNOTS. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE THIRD LOAD OF THE DAY.
THE AIRCRAFT'S ENCOUNTER DURING THE TAKEOFF WITH A CROSSWIND GUST BEYOND THE CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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