ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 281872
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| Date: | Wednesday 4 May 2022 |
| Time: | 10:00 UTC |
| Type: |  Air Tractor AT-502B |
| Owner/operator: | private |
| Registration: | ZS-OBR |
| MSN: | 502B-0431 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Botselo Private Airstrip -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Botselo Private Airstrip |
| Botselo Private Airstrip | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A pilot on-board an Air Tractor AT-502B aircraft with registration ZS-OBR was engaged in a crop-spraying operation at Botselo Private Farm when the accident occurred. The aircraft took off from Botselo Private Farm Airstrip with the intention to land back at the same airstrip.
The pilot reported that at approximately 1000Z, he uplifted his 11th load of crop-spraying solution and took off from the airstrip at 290° heading. Before rotation, the aircraft accelerated to the indicated air speed of 80 miles per hour (mph). After rotation and during the climb phase, the aircraft experienced a loss of lift and, later, crashed on the maize field.
The pilot indicated that the wind direction changed from 180° to 220° shortly after take-off and the aircraft lost lift during climb out. The aircraft descended rapidly and crashed on the soft ground before it nosed over. It came to rest in an inverted position.
The weather information obtained from the pilot questionnaire indicated wind direction of 180°, surface wind of 3 knots, and temperature at 22°C. The weather information obtained from the South African Weather Service (SAWS) indicated the prevalent fine weather conditions at the time of the flight with the surface wind of 220° at 6 knots, temperature at 23°C, and cloud base at 4000 feet. The pilot took off with 250 litres of Jet A1 fuel in the tanks. The fuel tank capacity of the
aircraft is 600 litres. The pilot did not sustain any injuries during the accident sequence, and the aircraft was substantially damaged.
Probable Cause
It is probable that the aircraft did not use the entire length of the runway or road, which resulted in the pilot rotating prior to attaining the required speed (to rotate) and causing the aircraft’s failure to climb; hence, the subsequent crash.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
CAA S.A.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
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