On June 25, 1998, an Air Tractor AT-301 (registration N31677) was involved in an aviation accident near Ipswich, SD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in a stall, due to a sudden gust of wind from the south. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A light aircraft stalled shortly after rotation during a northbound takeoff in Aberdeen, South Dakota, due to sudden wind gusts, resulting in a nosedown impact in an adjacent oat field.
What happened
The pilot initiated a takeoff roll heading north from the runway. Shortly after the aircraft rotated for lift-off, it encountered a sudden gust of wind originating from the south. This abrupt change in wind conditions caused the airplane to lose airspeed and enter a stall condition, described by the pilot as 'mushing.' The aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude or distance to recover and traveled off the end of the runway. It came to rest in a wet oat field located immediately beyond the runway threshold, where it nosed over upon impact with the ground.
The investigation
Post-accident review included an assessment of the meteorological conditions at the time of the event. The pilot provided specific details regarding the local wind environment during the critical phase of flight. Additionally, official weather observations were analyzed to corroborate the pilot's account of the atmospheric conditions near the accident site.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the stall that occurred immediately after rotation. This aerodynamic failure was directly linked to the sudden gust of wind from the south experienced by the aircraft. The pilot reported local winds were from the west at 6 knots, while the official weather observation for Aberdeen, South Dakota (located 19 miles east of the site) recorded winds from 230 degrees at 7 knots at 0856 CDT. These conditions suggest a discrepancy or rapid change in wind direction that affected the takeoff performance.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in a stall, due to a sudden gust of wind from the south.