Air Tractor AT 602 N653LA

Summary

On 21 April 2020 at about 23:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT 602 registered N653LA, operated by Central Farmers Cooperative, was involved in an accident near Mamou, 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

21 April 2020 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mamou, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

Deculus Satellite Airstrip (N/A)

Coordinates

30.5894, -92.4278

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT 602

Registration

N653LA

Category

Airplane

Year built

2002

Engines

1

Operator

Central Farmers Cooperative

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mamou → Mamou

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20CA153

Nobody was injured.

The airplane's encounter with a sunken area during takeoff from a turf runway, which resulted in the airplane becoming prematurely airborne and impacting a tree and then terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the turf airstrip had a "sunken area," which created a "ramp." During takeoff, the airplane encountered this portion of the airstrip and became "airborne prematurely." The airplane subsequently settled into ground effect; however, the left wing impacted a small tree near the end of the runway, and the airplane then pitched "downward and left," and the airplane was unable to maintain altitude. The airplane impacted a field off the end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.