Accident Sequence
The agricultural airplane, loaded with a full load of fertilizer, was taking off from a private airstrip. During the takeoff roll, the airplane could not fly out of ground effect. As the airplane approached the end of the airstrip and encroached on an irrigation system, the pilot pulled the nose up and initiated a load dump. The pilot reported that he did not place the dump handle in the emergency dump position, and the fertilizer was not dumped quick enough. After clearing the irrigation system, the airplane stalled and impacted the ground.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that a lighter load for the prevailing conditions would have prevented this accident.
Density Altitude
The density altitude at the time of the accident was calculated by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge to be approximately 5,730 feet.