GUTHRIE, TX, USA
N6042K
Air Tractor 502B
During a downwind takeoff, the airplane exited the departure end of the runway and nosed over. The 2,500-feet long private grass airstrip was not equipped with a windsock. The pilot stated that he noted that the wind was calm by observing a pennant which is mounted to the antenna of a service vehicle located at the north end of the runway. He initiated the takeoff roll to the south, and the airplane became momentarily airborne. The airplane began to settle to the ground, and the pilot aborted the takeoff. The pilot stated that the airplane would not get out of ground effect. The pilot reported that at the time of the accident, a weather front passed over the airstrip, resulting in a sudden windshift and a tailwind.
On August 13, 1999, at 1100 central daylight time, an Air Tractor 502B agricultural airplane, N6042K, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff from a private grass airstrip near Guthrie, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by McAdoo Flying Service Inc., of Crosbyton, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to the pilot, before departure, the airplane was loaded with 400 gallons of herbicide solution for a spray run. He noted that the wind was calm by observing a "pennant which is mounted to the antenna of a service vehicle located at the north end of the runway." He initiated the takeoff roll to the south on the 2,500-foot long grass strip, and the airplane became "airborne momentarily." The pilot stated that the airplane began to settle back to the ground. He performed an emergency hopper dump and aborted the takoff. He added that the airplane "would not get out of ground effect." The airplane exited the departure end of the runway and nosed over coming to rest inverted. The pilot reported that there was a weather front passing over the airstrip at the time of the accident. He stated that the front moved from the northeast to the southwest, and at the time of the accident the winds were from the northeast at 12-15 knots. At 1156, the weather observation facility at the Lubbock International Airport, Lubbock, Texas, (located 40 miles west of the accident site) reported that the winds were from 200 degrees at 5 knots. At 1256, the weather observation facility at Lubbock reported that the winds were from 140 degrees at 8 knots and at 1456, the winds were from 080 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 20 knots. An FAA inspector reported that the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were structurally damaged. He added that the propeller tips were bent back toward the fuselage.
The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation prior to takeoff. Factors associated with the accident were an inadequate wind direction indicator, a sudden windshift, and a tailwind.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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