Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Town Creek, Alabama 35672
Thursday, July 30, 1992 16:25 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF FROM A WET SOD STRIP WITH A FULL LOAD OF CHEMICALS. AFTER THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO ACCELERATE TO LIFTOFF SPEED, THE PILOT ELECTED TO DUMP THE CHEMICALS; THE AIRPLANE BROKE GROUND AND FLEW BRIEFLY. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE CLIMBOUT BUT NEVER GAINED ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR TREES SURROUNDING THE SOD STRIP. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND THE COLLISION WITH TREES DURING CLIMBOUT. FACTORS WERE THE SOFT AND WET TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1625
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TOWN CREEK
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35672
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1428 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID MLS
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 2400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 975
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2680
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47480
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4495Q
NTSB Number ATL92LA148
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 188
Aircraft Series Identifier 188
Aircraft Serial Number 18800895
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 2 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 4295
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARRELL AVIATION SERVICES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2435
Aircraft Owner City BAINBRIDGE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31717
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARRELL AVIATION SERVICES INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1624
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --