On July 17, 1996, a Piper PA-25-235 (registration N4997Y) operated by Minto Flying Service, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Beltrami, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's inadequate preflight planning. Factors in the accident were the pilot's failure to jettison the load and the soft runway overrun area. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An agricultural aircraft aborted takeoff after settling back towards the runway, ran off the turf strip, and nosed over in soft terrain. The pilot reported a density altitude of 2,700 feet with high humidity.
Accident Overview
An agricultural airplane was conducting a takeoff from a private turf airstrip following a successful runup. The aircraft's hopper contained 108 gallons of chemical product. During the takeoff roll, the airplane lifted off at approximately halfway down the runway.
Sequence of Events
Shortly after becoming airborne, the airplane began to settle back towards the runway. The pilot subsequently aborted the takeoff. The aircraft departed the runway surface and encountered soft terrain, causing it to nose over.
Pilot's Statement
The pilot reported that the density altitude at the time was 2,700 feet with high humidity.