Air Tractor AT-400A N36538

Summary

On 11 June 1997 at about 20:45 local time, a Air Tractor AT-400A registered N36538 was involved in an accident near Church Point, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 June 1997 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Church Point, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

Richards Airstrip (NONE)

Coordinates

30.3992, -92.2094

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-400A

Registration

N36538

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA245

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improperly performed short field takeoff procedures.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was departing to the north using full power with 2,230 pounds of fertilizer on board. He further reported that: 'I started my takeoff roll with 10 degrees [of] flaps and increased [them] to 30 degrees further down the strip. As I got to the end of the strip I had to pull the plane off to clear a large levee, after which it settled back down to the ground.' The pilot stated that 'as the end of the runway came closer, I felt like I was over gross.' The FAA Inspectors reported that they were unable to determine the actual weight of the airplane at the time of its takeoff roll. The airplane had a different model engine on it then when it left the factory; no paperwork was located in the airplane for the modification nor the new weight limitations. An Air Tractor manufacturer's representative reported that a normal takeoff in an AT-400A is performed with the flaps in the up position. The representative further stated that 'takeoffs from short strips with heavy loads should be performed with the flaps set at 10 degrees.' The representative reported that 'no other takeoff configuration for the flaps is authorized in the airplane's operating procedures.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.