Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
De Witt, Arkansas 72042
Friday, April 28, 2006 13:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 5,700-hour commercial pilot was departing on runway 18 (a 3,200-foot long by 60-foot wide asphalt runway) in a tailwheel-equipped agricultural airplane in order to fertilize a rice field approximately three miles to the south of the airport. Prior to his departure from runway 18, the pilot reported that the winds were from the east-southeast at 10 to 20 knots. During the takeoff roll, as the pilot raised the tail of the airplane gust of wind blew the airplane to the right of the runway centerline. The pilot was able to regain directional control and elected to proceed with the takeoff, when another gust "pulled" the aircraft off the ground prematurely. The pilot stated that the airplane "came off of the ground normal but a little higher than he wanted." The pilot added that as he tried to maintain runway heading alignment, the aircraft wanted to "settle," and the aileron control became "real light." The pilot then pointed the airplane into the wind, hoping for a "gust of help" in trying to climb and avoid an impact with trees. The airplane subsequently impacted trees and came to rest in an upright position where a post impact fire ensued. The pilot reported having accumulated a total of 1,200 hours in the same make and model, with about 75 hours in the preceding 90 days.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff. A contributing factor was the gusty winds.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/28/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1300 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | De Witt |
| Event State | ARKANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 72042 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 341526N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0911821W |
| 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 | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| 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) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 125 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20074 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Little Rock Flight Standards D |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 28 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 31 2006 10:47AM |
| 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 | N48717 |
| NTSB Number | DFW06CA113 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Grumman-Schweizer |
| Aircraft Model | G-164B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 120B |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5050 |
| 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 | Dec 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 9293 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Aufderheide Flying Service Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 616 S. Tyler St |
| Aircraft Owner City | De Witt |
| Aircraft Owner State | AR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 72042 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Darren L. Voumard |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | P.O. Box 124 |
| Operator City | Ulm |
| Operator State | AR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 720170 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| 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 | 5M1 |
| Departure City | De Witt |
| Departure State | AR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1300 |
| 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 - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 16 2006 7:10PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |