Air Tractor AT 602
Mamou, LA — April 21, 2020
Event Information
| Date | April 21, 2020 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | CEN20CA153 |
| Event ID | 20200422X14853 |
| Location | Mamou, LA |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 30.58945, -92.42778 |
| Airport | Deculus Satellite Airstrip |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | Air Tractor |
| Model | AT 602 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 137 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Probable Cause
The airplane's encounter with a sunken area during takeoff from a turf runway, which resulted in the airplane becoming prematurely airborne and impacting a tree and then terrain.
Full Narrative
The pilot reported that the turf airstrip had a "sunken area" which created a "ramp." During takeoff, when the airplane encountered this portion of the airstrip, it became "airborne prematurely." The airplane subsequently settled into ground effect; however, the left wing impacted a small tree near the end of the runway. The collision caused the airplane to pitch "downward and left" and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude. The airplane came to rest in a muddy rice field off the end of the runway with damage to the wings and fuselage.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.