Agricultural Aircraft Overload Incident

Incident Overview and Pilot Report During takeoff, the pilot of an agricultural airplane reported that the aircraft did not climb and exhibited sluggish performance. To gain sufficient airspeed to clear a chain-link fence at the end of the runway, the pilot held the aircraft in ground effect. When the pilot attempted to initiate a climb, the airplane began descending toward a sewage pond. The pilot attempted to jettison the load, but the aircraft impacted the pond and flipped over. The operator estimated the airplane's gross weight at the time of the accident to be approximately 6,100 pounds. According to Weight and Balance Data from the G-164B Pilot's Operating Handbook, the maximum gross weight for a G-164B equipped with an R-1340 engine is 5,200 pounds. The Civil Aeronautics Manual (CAM) 8, paragraph 8.10-4(b), states that establishing a maximum weight for an agricultural aircraft is not required. Instead, maximum weights for special purpose loads, such as hopper or tank capacities, should be selected by the applicant and demonstrated in a flight check.