Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paul, Idaho 83347
Tuesady, June 1, 1999 12:00 MDT

The pilot reported that after the airplane lifted off, it was not flying as well as it had on the previous six flights that morning. The pilot immediately opened the emergency dump which also controls the rate of application. The pilot reported that as he flipped the metal tab out of the way of the dump handle, the tab would not flip clear of the handle because of interference with the seat frame. The pilot was aware of this problem, however, he stated that he could hold the stop up with one finger and force the handle around the stop. The airplane continued to fly in ground effect as the pilot continued to try to dump the load. About one mile off the end of the airstrip, the airplane collided with a slight rise in the terrain. The pilot stated that he thought that he could have cleared the rise if he could have dumped the load more quickly. The type certificate data sheet for this aircraft indicates a gross weight of 4,400 pounds. The pilot reported that he was not aware of the requirement, and had not demonstrated the maximum set gross weight for the conditions to the FAA per Part 137 certification. The pilot reported that he estimated the weight of the load based on visual volume that had been previously weighed (approximately 1,000 to 1,100 pounds). The density altitude was estimated and determined to be approximately 5,684 feet at the time of the accident which utilized the pilot's estimated temperature. The weather reporting facility closest to the accident site reported a temperature 10 degrees warmer than the pilot's estimate. Utilizing the weather reporting facility, the density altitude would have been about 6,277 feet.

The pilot's inaccurate weight and balance calculations, and his delay in jettisoning the load which resulted in his failure to clear rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude, and the pilot's intentional operation with known deficiencies in equipment.