Salome, AZ, USA
N8521Z
Air Tractor AT-502B
Same as Factual Information
According to the pilot, during the downwind takeoff on Runway 27 "...the tail came up at the 'normal spot' then went back down. I wasn't going to get airborne by the end of the airstrip and attempted to stop the airplane." The pilot stated that the airplane then ground looped with the left wing contacting the ground, turning the airplane 180 degrees and coming to rest upright facing the southeast. Damage to left wing included both the front and rear spars being bent. The pilot reported that the airstrip is a one-way strip running east and west, with takeoffs to the west only. The pilot reported that the wind at the time of the accident was from 135 degrees magnetic estimated at 10 knots, with gusts estimated at 20 knots.
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the tailwind condition and failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll/run, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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