Accident Overview
On August 18, 2020, at about 1100 central daylight time, a Piper PA-36-285 airplane, registration N57607, sustained substantial damage in an accident near Ord, Nebraska. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an agricultural operation.
Pilot's Account
The pilot reported that the engine start was normal and that while taxiing to runway 31 he observed a calm surface wind. During the initial engine runup before takeoff, while cycling the propeller, he noted dark/black engine exhaust. However, a second engine runup and propeller cycle showed no anomalies with the engine or exhaust.
The takeoff on runway 31 was uneventful. After liftoff, the pilot kept the airplane in ground effect until it accelerated to a normal climb airspeed. The initial climb proceeded normally until the first turn, when the airspeed began to decrease despite the engine and propeller operating normally at takeoff power. The pilot was able to maintain altitude in the turn, but the airspeed continued to decrease, approaching an aerodynamic stall speed. He chose not to dump the liquid herbicide load, believing it could negatively affect controllability and potentially induce a stall. Shortly before impact, the right wing dropped, which the pilot attributed to flying at or near aerodynamic stall. The airplane collided with terrain in a right-wing-down attitude.
The pilot stated that before the flight the airplane was loaded with 40 gallons of fuel and 155 gallons of liquid herbicide. He had previously flown the airplane with similar or heavier loads without adverse performance effects. He noted that weather conditions earlier in the morning included rain showers from a passing front, but at the time of the accident the wind was calm and there was no precipitation. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane or engine during the flight.
Damage and Examination
The accident substantially damaged the fuselage and both wings. The airplane was partially disassembled and removed from the accident site before the National Transportation Safety Board or the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were notified. An FAA examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal flight.