On August 26, 1989, an Air Tractor AT-401 (registration N10103) was involved in an aviation accident near Wabbaseka, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TALL VEGETATION (GRASS). THE TALL VEGETATION & HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aerial application aircraft contacted tall grass and veered into a rice field, striking a levee and damaging the landing gear after the pilot initiated a shallow right turn shortly after takeoff.
Incident Overview
An aerial application pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, while initiating a shallow right turn, the aircraft began to settle. The right wing and spray boom subsequently contacted tall grass. The aircraft then veered into a rice field, where it struck a levee, resulting in damage to the landing gear.
Pilot Observations
The pilot noted that the ambient temperature was 87 degrees Fahrenheit and the density altitude was approximately 2,000 feet. He expressed the belief that these conditions may have contributed to the occurrence. Additionally, the pilot reported that he did not have sufficient time to dump the chemical load before the incident.