Wsk Pzl Mielec PZL M18B N4450M

Summary

On 11 September 1998 at about 00:10 local time, a Wsk Pzl Mielec PZL M18B registered N4450M, operated by Michael Kratz, was involved in an accident near Tappen, North Dakota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 September 1998 at 00:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Tappen, North Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Sitzman Farm

Coordinates

46.8698, -99.6200

Aircraft

Wsk Pzl Mielec PZL M18B

Registration

N4450M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Michael Kratz

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98LA337

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's improper preflight preparation resulting in the airplane exceeding the available airstrip distance during takeoff. A factor contributing to this accident was the swamp.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said that the airplane lifted off normally, but then wanted to set back down. The pilot lowered the flaps to 15-degrees in hopes of keeping the airplane from settling. Lowering flaps did not seem to help. The pilot said that he then went for the dump handle, but could not find it initially. When he did find it, the airplane impacted into a swamp just off the end of the 3,000 foot long airstrip. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies. According to the Takeoff Distance Chart in the PZL M18B Aircraft Flight Manual, an airplane with atomizers and zero flaps extended, weighing 10,700 pounds, at a temperature of 33 degrees Centigrade, and zero headwind, will require a takeoff distance of approximately 3,600 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.