On July 3, 1994, an Air Tractor AT-301 (registration N3659D) operated by Farm Air, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Autaugaville, AL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate assessment of takeoff performance given the excessive grass length on the airstrip, which resulted in a collision with trees. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An agricultural pilot experienced insufficient acceleration during takeoff on a grass airstrip with long grass, resulting in a collision with trees after the aircraft briefly became airborne.
What happened
The pilot was conducting a takeoff from a grass airstrip while operating an agricultural aircraft loaded with a full chemical payload. During the ground roll, the aircraft failed to accelerate at the expected rate. In response to the inadequate performance, the pilot lowered the flaps and jettisoned the hopper load to reduce weight. The aircraft briefly lifted off the ground but was unable to maintain altitude and settled back onto the surface, subsequently colliding with a stand of pine trees.
The investigation
Post-accident examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the grass on the runway was excessively long, which likely contributed to the reduced acceleration and takeoff performance.
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate assessment of takeoff performance given the excessive grass length on the airstrip, which resulted in a collision with trees.