Cooper Flying Service Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tarzan, Texas 79783
Wednesday, May 26, 2004 11:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane began to settle back down on the ground just after take-off from runway N (a 2,650-feet long by 150-feet wide turf runway). The 3,370-hour pilot emptied the load of chemicals, but was still unable to gain altitude. The automated surface observing station at Midland International Airport (MAF), near Midland, Texas, located approximately 12 miles southwest of the airport, reported winds at 170 at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 88 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 63 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure of 29.88 inches of Mercury. The density altitude was calculated as 5,320 feet based on the outside air temperature of 31 degrees Celsius, a dew point of 17 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.88 inches of mercury. The field elevation at the private airstrip was 2,740 feet msl.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed suitable for flight. Contributing factors were the high density altitude and tail wind condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/2004
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Tarzan
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79783
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 323552N
Event Location Longitude 1010723W
Event Location Airport Cooper Flying Service Airstrip
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 --
Airport Elevation 2871
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID MAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2863
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
Density Altitude (feet) 5226
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16270
NTSB Notification Source ASW ROC
NTSB Notification Date May 27 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 29 2004 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Lubbock, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N61407
NTSB Number FTW04CA141
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Air Tractor
Aircraft Model AT-502
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 502B-0313
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Dec 18 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 113
Airframe Hours 4837
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Roy Cooper
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3322 Private Road C2881
Aircraft Owner City Tarzan
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79783
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Cooper Flying Service
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3322 Private Road
Operator City Tarzan
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 79783
Operator Code CF7G
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
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 Tarzan
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 10:58AM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --