Accident Summary
The pilot of a PZL M18B reported that the airplane lifted off normally during takeoff but then began to settle back toward the ground. In an attempt to prevent the descent, the pilot lowered the flaps to 15 degrees. However, this action did not appear to have the desired effect.
Pilot Actions
The pilot then attempted to activate the dump handle but could not locate it immediately. By the time he found the handle, the airplane had impacted into a swamp just beyond the end of the 3,000-foot-long airstrip.
Wreckage Examination
A post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical anomalies or pre-existing failures.
Performance Data
According to the Takeoff Distance Chart in the PZL M18B Aircraft Flight Manual, an airplane equipped with atomizers and configured with zero flaps, weighing 10,700 pounds, at an ambient temperature of 33 degrees Celsius, and with zero headwind, requires approximately 3,600 feet of takeoff distance.