Accident
The pilot of an aerial application airplane had completed five previous flights without incident. For the sixth flight, the aircraft was refueled and loaded with fertilizer. Due to a shift in wind direction to easterly with slight gusting conditions, the pilot chose to depart the airstrip heading south.
During the takeoff roll, the pilot raised the nose of the airplane to clear a well stand-pipe located at the south end of the runway. As the pilot corrected for a slight right drift, the airplane veered to the right, dropped to the ground, and slammed into a levee before coming to rest in an adjacent field.
Investigation
An examination of the well stand-pipe revealed that the aircraft had struck the top of the pipe during the initial climb. No malfunctions with the airplane or engine were reported prior to the accident.