Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Firebaugh, California 93622
Friday, September 21, 2012 17:00 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot ferried the airplane to a private ag-operating airstrip where it was fully fueled, and 400 gallons of defoliant were loaded in the hopper. During the takeoff roll for the aerial application flight, the pilot noticed that the engine was not producing its full-rated torque, but he chose not to abort the takeoff. The pilot reported that, when the airplane reached the end of the runway, it lifted off but would not climb out of ground effect. As the airplane approached power transmission wires about 0.5 mile from the airstrip, the pilot began dumping the defoliant load to gain altitude. Dumping the load resulted in the airplane gaining some altitude, but, simultaneously, the airplane’s nose pitched up, which increased drag and stopped the climb. The airplane struck the wires and landed hard in an open field. Postaccident examination of the engine found no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation. It is likely that the engine was not producing its full-rated torque because the density altitude was 2,400 feet (as compared to the field elevation of 236 feet), which reduced the available engine torque.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s decision to continue the takeoff after the engine stopped producing its full-rated torque while operating in high-density altitude conditions and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from the power transmission wires.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/21/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1700 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Firebaugh |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 93622 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 364823N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1203720W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 236 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 72 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MAE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 255 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 28 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.85 |
| 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) | 32635 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 12 2014 3:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | strj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4556S |
| NTSB Number | WPR12LA433 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AIR TRACTOR INC |
| Aircraft Model | AT-502 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 502-0137 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 8 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 10147 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | THIEL AIR CARE INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | CHOWCHILLA |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 93610-0605 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | THIEL AIR CARE INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | CHOWCHILLA |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 93610-0605 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Firebaugh |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1900 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Firebaugh |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 12 2014 7:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | strj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 09 |
| Runway Length | 2300 |
| Runway Width | 35 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |