What happened
On the day of the accident, a commercial pilot was attempting to depart from a 2,400-foot long unimproved private grass airstrip. While performing a takeoff on a southerly heading, the pilot was maneuvering the tailwheel-equipped agricultural airplane to avoid potholes and mud holes present on the runway surface. During the departure, the spray booms located under the wings became entangled with tall grass. This entanglement caused a loss of directional control.
The aircraft subsequently exited the right side of the airstrip. During the excursion, the right wing collided with a fence post, and the airplane ran through a ditch. There were no injuries reported in the accident. The pilot described the runway conditions as dirt, rough, soft, wet, and containing holes.
The investigation
An FAA inspector interviewed the pilot, who confirmed the sequence of events leading to the loss of control. The inspection of the aircraft recorded structural damage. At the time of the event, weather reported from a station 27 nautical miles southeast of the site indicated calm winds, visibility of 5 statute miles with mist, a temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit, and a dew point of 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The calculated density altitude was 1,776 feet.