Casualties unknown

Aircraft Collides with Crop During Takeoff from Dirt Road (N4906Q)

Plains, KS, US

On August 12, 1984, a Cessna A188B (registration N4906Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Plains, KS. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft struck a tall crop while attempting takeoff from a dirt road after a previous aborted takeoff from another road. The pilot reported dust in the air and degraded acceleration from a three-bladed propeller.

Incident Details

An aircraft attempted to take off from a dirt road but collided with a tall crop during the attempt. According to the pilot, the takeoff run covered approximately 2,800 feet. Prior to this attempt, the pilot had tried to become airborne on a different road but aborted the takeoff after about 2,600 feet of roll. The pilot explained that he chose these alternate roads because the road he normally used was occupied by a coworker, leaving a large amount of dust in the air from the propeller wash.

During the accident takeoff, the aircraft failed to become airborne and struck tall vegetation. Following the collision, the aircraft ground-looped and nosed over.

Pilot Observations

The pilot offered several observations regarding the incident. He recommended against rushing the takeoff and advised against using the dump gate. Additionally, he expressed the opinion that his aircraft's three-bladed propeller degraded takeoff acceleration compared to a two-bladed design.

No further details about the aircraft type, registration, or other specifics were provided in the source.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001214X40837. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.