Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Sneek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Shannon, Illinois 61078
Saturday, July 20, 2013 9:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he had completed three uneventful aerial application flights on the day of the accident; however, shortly after lifting off for the fourth flight, the airplane encountered a sudden wind shear and was unable to climb out of ground effect. The airplane descended from an altitude of 10-12 feet above the ground into the corn crop located off the end of runway. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A review of available wind data indicated that calm wind conditions prevailed throughout the morning; however, a shift to a northwest wind occurred about the time of the accident, which would have resulted in a tailwind and a reduced climb gradient.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s inability to maintain an adequate climb rate after encountering a sudden wind shift during takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/20/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 945 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Shannon |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 61078 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 421053N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0894037W |
| Event Location Airport | Sneek Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 2IL0 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 909 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 935 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 48 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KFEP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 860 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 320 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KFEP 201435Z AUTO 32003KT 10SM CLR 26/19 A29 |
| 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) | 31944 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Central Region Duty Officer, A |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 5 2013 4:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N502MH |
| NTSB Number | CEN13LA426 |
| 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 Inc. |
| Aircraft Model | AT-502 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 502-0164 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 8000 |
| 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 | May 10 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 8075 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TW Air LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 618 West Putnam Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Princeton |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 61356-1564 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Woodley Aerial Spray Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 10629 2550 North Ave |
| Operator City | Walnut |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 61376 |
| Operator Code | W3GG |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Agriculture |
| Operator Certificate Number | W3GG624I |
| 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 | 2IL0 |
| Departure City | Shannon |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 945 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 2IL0 |
| Destination City | Shannon |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 29 2013 10:36AM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 2640 |
| Runway Width | 125 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |