Casualties unknown

1999-05-28: Air Tractor AT-502 (N4533H) — Michael A. Burnette — Cherry Valley, AR

Cherry Valley, AR, US

On May 28, 1999, an Air Tractor AT-502 (registration N4533H) operated by Michael A. Burnette was involved in an aviation accident near Cherry Valley, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot prematurely pulled the airplane off the ground during the takeoff roll to avoid colliding with a truck that entered the airstrip, resulting in a stall. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

An agricultural airplane stalled and impacted terrain after the pilot prematurely pulled the aircraft off the ground during takeoff to avoid a pickup truck that entered the airstrip, which also served as an access road.

Incident

During a takeoff roll from an elevated dirt airstrip, an agricultural airplane stalled and impacted the terrain. The pilot reported that soon after the tail wheel lifted off the ground, he observed a white pickup truck entering the airstrip, which was also used as an access road. To avoid a collision, the pilot prematurely pulled the airplane off the ground. The airplane then stalled and struck the terrain.

Aircraft Loading

The airplane was topped off with fuel, and the hopper was filled with rice seed to be dispensed on a nearby field. The pilot, who had accumulated 14,232 flight hours, noted that the takeoff ground roll for the previous flight had been much shorter due to a lighter load and cooler temperature.

Driver Information

The driver of the white pickup truck was the farmer whose fields were being seeded. He had observed previous takeoffs but was not aware of the airplane's loading for this flight.

Probable Cause

The probable cause is the pilot prematurely pulling the airplane off the ground during the takeoff roll to avoid colliding with a truck that entered the airstrip, resulting in a stall.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001212X18784. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.