What happened
The accident occurred while an Air Tractor AT6 was participating in a formation of three aircraft landing at the airport for a scheduled fly-in event. During the approach, the aircraft, identified by registration N104DC, touched down on a 2,000-foot grass runway that had been freshly mowed approximately 500 to 600 feet from the end of the strip.
Upon touchdown, the pilot attempted to slow the aircraft using the brakes. However, the pilot stated that the application of brakes was ineffective in stopping the aircraft within the available distance. Consequently, the Air Tractor AT6 overran the end of runway 17. The aircraft continued forward, crossing the paved surface at the end of runway 13 before finally contacting a ditch and nosing down.
The investigation
Post-accident examination confirmed that the aircraft had traveled beyond the designated landing area. The pilot's report indicated that the braking system did not provide sufficient deceleration to prevent the overrun given the conditions of the grass strip.