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June 22, 1982 · Piper PA-36-285 · N9979P

Imperial, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 22, 1982
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Imperial, CA
Aircraft
Piper PA-36-285
Tail Number
N9979P
Operator
Frontier Ag Service
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX82FUM07

The pilot was unable to maintain airspeed and altitude after taking off from a wet and muddy runway. He closed the throttle and landed in a cotton field, but was unable to stop the aircraft before hitting a ditch. Reportedly, the previous (first) takeoff required an excessive amount of runway and the pilot had instructed the helper to reduce this load by 400 lbs. The owner said that some spray material (sulfur) had remained in the hopper after previous flights and that the helper had not looked into the hopper before adding sulfur for this flight. Also, the pilot said that he did not visually check the quantity of the load before starting his takeoff. Reportedly, the engine RPM and manifold pressure were normal during the takeoff roll, and the aircraft continued to the end of the runway where it hit a berm and became airborne in a nose high attitude. After the accident, the hopper was found to be nearly full.

Full Narrative

THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE AFTER TAKING OFF FROM A WET AND MUDDY RUNWAY. HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE AND LANDED IN A COTTON FIELD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE HITTING A DITCH. REPORTEDLY, THE PREVIOUS (FIRST) TAKEOFF REQUIRED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF RUNWAY AND THE PILOT HAD INSTRUCTED THE HELPER TO REDUCE THIS LOAD BY 400 LBS. THE OWNER SAID THAT SOME SPRAY MATERIAL (SULFUR) HAD REMAINED IN THE HOPPER AFTER PREVIOUS FLIGHTS AND THAT THE HELPER HAD NOT LOOKED INTO THE HOPPER BEFORE ADDING SULFUR FOR THIS FLIGHT. ALSO, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE QUANTITY OF THE LOAD BEFORE STARTING HIS TAKEOFF. REPORTEDLY, THE ENGINE RPM AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE WERE NORMAL DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHERE IT HIT A BERM AND BECAME AIRBORNE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE HOPPER WAS FOUND TO BE NEARLY FULL.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time06:00 PDT
Nearest AirportForrester & Northington (0nm N)
Runway9
Runway Length2600 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-36-285
Tail NumberN9979P
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorFrontier Ag Service
Operating RulePart 137
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · 6-285A · Reciprocating · 285
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 40 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind130° @ 3 kt
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point16 C / 0 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg

Appendix: Source Data