Runway excursion Accident Air Tractor AT-402A N247LA,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 279006
 
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Date:Monday 21 August 2017
Time:18:30 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic AT3T model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Air Tractor AT-402A
Owner/operator:Boair Inc
Registration: N247LA
MSN: 402A-1247
Year of manufacture:2012
Total airframe hrs:2679 hours
Engine model:Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-31
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Shaw, Mississippi -   United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature:Agricultural
Departure airport:SHAW, MS (1MS0)
Destination airport:SHAW, MS (1MS0)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot was departing on an agricultural application flight from a 2,300-ft-long runway. When the airplane reached the end of the runway, the pilot could "feel that the airplane did not want to fly." The pilot extended the flaps, then dumped the spray load that was in the airplane's hopper tank in an attempt to become airborne; however, the airplane continued off the end of the runway, crossed a drainage ditch, and came to rest in a bean field, resulting in substantial damage.

The airplane's hopper was loaded with about 3,400 lbs of a mixture of herbicide and other chemicals, which exceeded the hopper's placarded limitation of 3,250 lbs. The airplane's estimated weight at the time of the accident was 1,864 lbs higher than the manufacturer's published gross weight and about 264 lbs more than field experience showed could be carried safely with adequate margins of performance and structural strength.
Calculations by the airplane manufacturer using takeoff data of a similar airplane from a previous company test program indicated a takeoff ground roll distance of about 2,322 ft. Given the density altitude about the time of the accident, the airplane's takeoff distance would have been increased by 24%, and there would have been an 18% decrease in its rate of climb.
No preimpact failures or malfunctions were discovered that would have precluded normal operation. Despite the numerous indicators that the takeoff conditions were marginal, such as the high air temperature, high gross weight, and a short runway, the pilot failed to evaluate the conditions that existed in relation to the performance capability of the airplane.

Probable Cause: The pilot's decision to attempt takeoff at high gross weight, in high density altitude conditions, and with insufficient runway length. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ERA17LA286
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 4 years and 5 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB ERA17LA286

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
05-Jun-2022 14:50 ASN Update Bot Added

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