Accident Details
On July 21, 2010, about 0620 Pacific daylight time, a Schweizer G-164B, registration N7502A, collided with a fence while aborting a takeoff from a dirt strip near Prescott, Washington. The aircraft was operated by Blue Mountain Aviation under 14 CFR Part 137 for agricultural aerial applications. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing from impact forces. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Flight and Loading
The flight originated from Walla Walla Regional Airport, Walla Walla, Washington, around 0600, with empty application tanks. The pilot flew to a private airstrip without encountering any airframe or engine problems. At the strip, he loaded 375 gallons of spray mixture.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported no indication of a problem until after liftoff, when the airplane settled back onto the airstrip. He verified power readings and determined that insufficient runway remained to abort the takeoff. The airplane lifted off again and crossed a gravel road perpendicular to the runway, then settled into a fallow field beyond the road. The pilot completed an emergency dump but was unsuccessful in becoming airborne before colliding with a 2-wire electric fence. After hitting the fence, he aborted the takeoff by pulling both power and speed controls to minimum. The engine continued producing power throughout the takeoff. The pilot described the airfield as flat with calm wind, and noted that instrument and visual perceptions were similar to many previous takeoffs from that strip with equal or heavier loads in warmer conditions. The gross weight at the time was 8,265 pounds; maximum gross weight for the airplane is 9,200 pounds.
Post-Accident Inspection
A post-accident engine inspection revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot expressed concern about flying with the engine again since no problems were identified. He could not explain the loss of lift and felt that a longer runway would have allowed him to abort the takeoff after attaining liftoff speed.