Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fontaine, Arkansas 72416
Tuesady, May 24, 2005 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 9,100-hour commercial pilot reported that with the aircraft full of fuel (80 gallons) and a load of 2,250 pounds of fertilizer, he set engine power and departed downwind (10 mph tailwind) on a 2,600 foot by 20 foot paved runway. During the departure, the airplane's main landing gear "clipped" the top of a levee just beyond the departure end of runway 22. The pilot stated that he lowered the nose and flew in ground-effect until he could accelerate and fly "up-and-over" some powerlines. After clearing the powerlines the airplane started to "settle", the pilot decided to dump the load of fertilizer and start a shallow turn into the wind. With the airplane continuing to "settle", the pilot elected to land on a dirt road; however, the airplane struck some trees and an electric wire, causing the airplane to pitch down and impact the ground. The density altitude was calculated at 1,964 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance during a downwind takeoff with a full load of fertilizer. Factor contributing to the accident were the prevailing tailwind and the high density altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/2005
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Fontaine
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72416
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 354903N
Event Location Longitude 0903828W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID JBR
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.86
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 18248
NTSB Notification Source FAA FSDO
NTSB Notification Date May 24 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2005 12:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Little Rock, Arkansas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3629K
NTSB Number DFW05CA133
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Grumman
Aircraft Model 164-B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 748B
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 9649
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Scott Flying Service
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Scott Flying Service, Inc
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4685 Hwy 228
Operator City Bono
Operator State AR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 72416
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Fontaine
Departure State AR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Fontaine
Destination State AR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 22 2005 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --