Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Altair, Texas 77412
Friday, September 14, 1990 13:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE FIRST DEPARTURE OF THE DAY THE AIRPLANE DID NOT ACCELERATE SUFFICIENTLY TO GET AIRBORNE AND CLEAR EIGHT FOOT TALL WEEDS AT THE SOUGH END OF THE PRIVATE STRIP. THE AIRPLANE GOT AIRBORNE AT THE END OF THE STRIP BUT THE CHEMICAL SPREADER ON THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE TALL WEEDS. THIS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRSPEED, AND A SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH AN EARTHEN IRRIGATION DIKE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ABOUT 200 FEET FROM INITIAL IMPACT AND POST IMPACT FIRE CONSUMED THE WRECKAGE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ABOUT 50 FEET OF THE STRIP WAS COVERED BY TWO FOOT TALL WEEDS AND THAT THE REST OF THE TAKEOFF SURFACE WAS A HARD SURFACE DIRT CRUST WITH A SPONGY UNDER LAYER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S USE OF IMPROPER TERRAIN FOR TAKEOFF.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/14/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ALTAIR
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77412
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 200
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 767
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 14 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41805
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6566
NTSB Number FTW90DRA09
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164A
Aircraft Serial Number 704
Certified Max Gross Weight 4700
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 25 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1250
Airframe Hours 9298
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AERO AG. SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address HIWAY 71 NORTH P.O. BOX 411
Aircraft Owner City GARWOOD
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77442
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERO-AG SERVICE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address S & R AIR STRIP
Operator City GARWOOD
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77442
Operator Code KDFG
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 NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1342
Departure Time Zone CST
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 18
Runway Length 1600
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --