AT-401 Agricultural Aircraft Collides With Irrigation Pivot During Takeoff (N1524H)

What happened

The pilot was operating an AT-401 agricultural airplane during a takeoff phase when the aircraft struck a stationary irrigation pivot structure. The obstacle stood approximately 12 feet high. Upon impact, the airplane collided with the terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing and the empennage (tail section). The collision caused the spillage of both chemical cargo and aviation fuel onto the ground.

The investigation

Following the accident, authorities examined the condition of the aircraft and interviewed the pilot. The pilot explicitly advised both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that there was no evidence of a mechanical malfunction with the aircraft prior to the event. This statement indicated that the failure was not due to equipment failure but rather operational factors during the takeoff roll or initial climb.

Findings

The primary factor in this accident was the aircraft's inability to clear the irrigation pivot structure. The pilot failed to maintain adequate altitude or trajectory to avoid the obstacle during the critical takeoff phase. No mechanical defects were identified as contributing factors. The damage sustained to the right wing and empennage confirms the point of impact with the pivot mechanism.