Accident Details
During an attempted takeoff on an 1800-foot sod runway, the pilot rotated the agricultural airplane for liftoff. On two separate occasions, the aircraft settled back onto the runway after rotation. Following the second settling, the airplane became airborne. Immediately after becoming airborne, a wing contacted the ground, causing the airplane to cartwheel. The aircraft, which still carried 120 gallons of chemicals, came to rest in a field at the departure end of the runway.
Post-Accident Information
In a subsequent report, the pilot stated that the engine lost power shortly after liftoff. Investigators conducted an examination of the airframe and engine. The examination failed to disclose any mechanical problem with the airframe or engine. The pilot's account of an engine power loss was not corroborated by the physical evidence.