Air Tractor AT-502B N50075

Summary

On 23 July 2005 at about 00:05 local time, a Air Tractor AT-502B registered N50075 was involved in an accident near Gassoway, 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

23 July 2005 at 00:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Gassoway, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

32.3514, -91.0275

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-502B

Registration

N50075

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gassoway → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW05CA191

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's premature lift-off which resulted in an inadequate climb for terrain clearance. Also causal was the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff. A contributing factor was the high density altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the short field takeoff, the airplane accelerated down the 2,000-foot long grass airstrip and became airborne in ground effect. After crossing over the departure end of the runway, the 6,710-hour commercial pilot attempted to release the load of fertilizer in the hopper. Subsequently, the main landing gear struck cotton plants and impacted the ground. The density altitude was calculated as 2,070 feet based on the outside air temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 75 degrees Fahrenheit, an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of Mercury, and a field elevation of 125 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.