Incident Overview
A commercial pilot with 1,457 hours of flight experience was attempting to depart from a 2,400-foot long unimproved private grass airstrip in a tailwheel-equipped agricultural airplane. The pilot reported that while departing on a southerly heading, he was "dodging pot holes and mud holes" on the airstrip.
Sequence of Events
During the takeoff roll, the spray booms under the wings became entangled with tall grass, which resulted in a loss of directional control. The airplane subsequently exited the right side of the airstrip. The right wing collided with a fence post, and the airplane "ran through a ditch."
Post-Accident Investigation
An FAA inspector interviewed the pilot, who confirmed the accident sequence. The inspector recorded structural damage to the airplane. On the Airport Information block of the accident report form, the pilot categorized the runway as "dirt" and further described its condition as "holes," "rough," "soft," and "wet."
Weather Conditions
About five minutes after the mishap, the nearest weather reporting station, located 27 nautical miles to the southeast of the accident site, reported winds calm, visibility 5 statute miles with mist, temperature 84 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 81 degrees Fahrenheit, and barometric pressure of 29.93 inches of Mercury. The density altitude was calculated at 1,776 feet.