What happened
On September 6, 2013, at approximately 15:25 CDT, a Grumman G-164A, registration N7843, crashed 2.5 miles west of Atlantic, Iowa. The aircraft was being operated by Shenandoah Flight Service, Inc. for aerial application purposes. The flight departed from Atlantic at approximately 15:10 under visual meteorological conditions with a visibility of 10 statute miles and winds from 180 degrees at 11 knots.
The pilot, who was the sole occupant, reported that after taking off into a headwind and reaching 500 feet, the aircraft began a slow loss of altitude while turning north toward a field. In an attempt to avoid an approaching tree line, the pilot opened the leveler to dump the product. While attempting to pull up to clear the trees, the aircraft stalled, struck trees, and impacted a bean field. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and a subsequent fire. The pilot sustained one minor injury and was not killed.
The investigation
An FAA inspector on-scene noted that the ambient air temperature exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The aircraft featured several modifications to increase its gross weight to 6,000 pounds, including 20-inch extensions on each wing tip, which were noted as authorized modifications.
At the time of takeoff, the aircraft was fueled to its 400-gallon capacity (2,400 pounds) and carrying 1,200 pounds of rye, radish, and turnip seed. The pilot calculated the takeoff weight at 5,134 pounds, which was 866 pounds below the maximum gross takeoff weight. The investigation also noted that the pilot had been involved in a previous accident in May 2013 involving a Cessna A188B, registration N731JF, which lost engine power during a spraying operation in Kansas.