On August 15, 2003, an Air Tractor AT-502 (registration N9187Z) operated by Jeffrey Dungan was involved in an aviation accident near Hudson, IL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot failed to abort the takeoff. A factor was the soybean crop. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aerial application airplane sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a private grass airstrip when the right wingtip and spray boom caught the soybean crop, causing the aircraft to veer and skid sideways. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction.
Accident Details
A Part 137 aerial application airplane was substantially damaged during takeoff from a private grass airstrip when it contacted a soybean crop. The aircraft was loaded with 405 gallons of chemical and had both wings three-quarters full of Jet A fuel at the time of the accident.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll, the right wingtip and right spray boom caught the soybeans at the end of the runway. This caused the airplane to veer to the right and skid sideways. The pilot stated that there was no mechanical malfunction of the airplane prior to the accident.
Damage
The accident resulted in extensive damage to the wings, engine, and propeller.