On July 10, 1995, an Air Tractor AT-401 (registration N9186J) was involved in an aviation accident near Clewiston, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to take off with a quartering tailwind without accounting for its effect on performance, which resulted in an inadequate climb gradient and collision with obstacles. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot terminated spray operations due to weather, then attempted takeoff during a break. The aircraft struck marker barrels and sugar cane plants shortly after liftoff under reported no-wind conditions.
What happened
The pilot had been conducting agricultural spray operations when adverse weather conditions forced a temporary pause in the work. Waiting for a break in the weather, the pilot elected to resume flight operations despite reporting no wind at the time of departure.
During the takeoff roll, the aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude or clear the runway environment. Instead, it collided with marker barrels and sugar cane plants located near the end of the runway. The impact occurred shortly after the airplane left the ground.
The investigation
Post-accident analysis of wind conditions revealed a discrepancy between the pilot's initial assessment and actual atmospheric data. The evaluation showed that the aircraft attempted to takeoff with a quartering tailwind, contrary to the pilot's earlier report of no wind conditions.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to take off with a quartering tailwind without accounting for its effect on performance, which resulted in an inadequate climb gradient and collision with obstacles.