Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Esmond, North Dakota 58332
Monday, July 21, 2008 12:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he gradually added power during takeoff to minimize the prop wash which tended to suck the hopper door open allowing the chemical load to spray out of the hopper and onto the windshield. The pilot reported the airplane became airborne in ground effect with one-third of the runway distance remaining. The airplane settled back onto the airstrip and became airborne once again with 300 to 500 feet of runway remaining. The pilot began to dump the chemical load when he reached the end of the airstrip; however, the airplane began to settle toward the ground again. The left spray boom contacted a wheat crop and the airplane cartwheeled into the field. The pilot purchased the airplane approximately 3 weeks prior to the accident. He stated the hopper door seal was leaking so he had the seal replaced and the door clamps adjusted. He stated he realized the door needed extra clamps on its forward and aft ends to keep it from opening. He stated he had one clamp which they put on the aft end of the door because it would not fit on the forward end. The pilot had an additional clamp on order for the forward end. The pilot stated he did not dump the load earlier because he did not want to kill the grass on the airstrip.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's delay in advancing the throttle during the takeoff which resulted in inadequate airspeed and the subsequent stall/mush. Factors associated with the accident were the leaking hopper, the pilot continuing to operate the airplane with the known deficiency, and the pilot's delay in dumping the chemical load.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/21/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1230 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Esmond |
| Event State | NORTH DAKOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 58332 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 480210N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0994526W |
| 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 | DVL |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 70 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| 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) | 24337 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 26 2008 6:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N996QC |
| NTSB Number | CHI08CA201 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Grumman |
| Aircraft Model | G-164D |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 19C |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | -- |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | American Agviation, Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 482 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Walnut Ridge |
| Aircraft Owner State | AR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 72476 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Erickson Aerial Spraying LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Esmond |
| Operator State | ND |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PVT |
| Departure City | Esmond |
| Departure State | ND |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 16 2008 3:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |