Air Tractor AT-502B N6017E

Summary

On 23 June 2013 at about 21:30 local time, a Air Tractor AT-502B registered N6017E, operated by Campbell Aerial Spraying, was involved in an accident near Campbell, Nebraska, 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 June 2013 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Campbell, Nebraska, United States

Nearest airport

Simonton (PVT)

Coordinates

40.6022, -99.2553

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-502B

Registration

N6017E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Campbell Aerial Spraying

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Campbell → Campbell

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA371

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's decision to continue with the takeoff roll despite the airplane's difficulty becoming airborne The high-density altitude likely contributed to the airplane's reduced performance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Before takeoff, the airplane's hopper was about one-third full, and the fuel tanks were half full. During the takeoff roll, the airplane did not become airborne when it reached the expected point of rotation. The pilot scanned the gauges, verified full power, and increased the flaps. The airplane briefly became airborne, but then it settled to the ground. The airplane impacted a fence and rotated 180 degrees before coming to a complete stop, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Meteorological data indicated that the density altitude was about 4,100 feet. The high-density altitude likely contributed to the airplane's reduced performance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.