AgPlane Incident thread
Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, lilfssister, North Shore
Re: AgPlane Incident thread
Can you please add dates when you post..... some of these are months old
Re: AgPlane Incident thread
Makes me wonder if overweight flying is common in the agplane industry....
C-GRAL, a privately registered Ayres (Thrush) S2R-G6, was conducting local crop spraying
operations from a private airstrip approximately 18 nm S of Lloydminster Airport (CYLL), AB, with
only the pilot on board. During the third takeoff from the 2055 foot gravel runway, the aircraft
became airborne but did not gain altitude. Immediately at the end of the runway was a mature
canola crop. There were 2 tracks indicating where the aircraft tires had dragged through the top of
the crop. The aircraft proceeded through the crop at times alternating between main landing gear,
tail wheel and portions of the wings and spray booms for approximately 750 feet before making a
slight 5° turn to the left for an additional 595 feet. Clumps of crop were periodically found along the
flight path which was shed from the landing gear and spray booms. The aircraft struck an
approximately 15-foot-tall embankment at the end of the field in a nose high attitude. Following the
impact, the aircraft cleared the embankment, and subsequently impacted the ground in a steep
nose down attitude and came to rest inverted 75 feet beyond the first point of impact. The pilot was
fatally injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. There was no post-impact fire and the 406
MHz ELT activated.
The aircraft, engine, propeller and hopper dump system were examined. The investigation did not
identify any issues that would have prevented these systems from operating normally during the
occurrence flight.
The investigation was unable to determine the actual fuel load on board C-GRAL prior to
departure, or the actual hopper load, as fuel and aerial application product upload records were not
available to the investigation. It was common practice for the pilot to depart with full fuel tanks.
Upon return from the flights, only the left tank would be refueled to capacity. With these criteria as
a guide and the aircraft departing for the third flight of the day, during the occurrence flight, it is
estimated that the aircraft departed with 546 pounds of fuel on board. The investigation recovered
notes from the pilot which indicated field location, size of the field in acres and that the product
Glyphosate was being applied. These notes were used to determine that the field to be sprayed on
the occurrence flight required approximately 320 USG (2872 pounds) of product.
The empty weight of the aircraft was 4204 pounds. The Aircraft Flight Manual states the maximum
operating weight limitation for the aircraft is 6000 pounds. The takeoff weight of the aircraft at the
time of the occurrence was estimated to be 7872 pounds.
...from TSB.
C-GRAL, a privately registered Ayres (Thrush) S2R-G6, was conducting local crop spraying
operations from a private airstrip approximately 18 nm S of Lloydminster Airport (CYLL), AB, with
only the pilot on board. During the third takeoff from the 2055 foot gravel runway, the aircraft
became airborne but did not gain altitude. Immediately at the end of the runway was a mature
canola crop. There were 2 tracks indicating where the aircraft tires had dragged through the top of
the crop. The aircraft proceeded through the crop at times alternating between main landing gear,
tail wheel and portions of the wings and spray booms for approximately 750 feet before making a
slight 5° turn to the left for an additional 595 feet. Clumps of crop were periodically found along the
flight path which was shed from the landing gear and spray booms. The aircraft struck an
approximately 15-foot-tall embankment at the end of the field in a nose high attitude. Following the
impact, the aircraft cleared the embankment, and subsequently impacted the ground in a steep
nose down attitude and came to rest inverted 75 feet beyond the first point of impact. The pilot was
fatally injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. There was no post-impact fire and the 406
MHz ELT activated.
The aircraft, engine, propeller and hopper dump system were examined. The investigation did not
identify any issues that would have prevented these systems from operating normally during the
occurrence flight.
The investigation was unable to determine the actual fuel load on board C-GRAL prior to
departure, or the actual hopper load, as fuel and aerial application product upload records were not
available to the investigation. It was common practice for the pilot to depart with full fuel tanks.
Upon return from the flights, only the left tank would be refueled to capacity. With these criteria as
a guide and the aircraft departing for the third flight of the day, during the occurrence flight, it is
estimated that the aircraft departed with 546 pounds of fuel on board. The investigation recovered
notes from the pilot which indicated field location, size of the field in acres and that the product
Glyphosate was being applied. These notes were used to determine that the field to be sprayed on
the occurrence flight required approximately 320 USG (2872 pounds) of product.
The empty weight of the aircraft was 4204 pounds. The Aircraft Flight Manual states the maximum
operating weight limitation for the aircraft is 6000 pounds. The takeoff weight of the aircraft at the
time of the occurrence was estimated to be 7872 pounds.
...from TSB.
Re: AgPlane Incident thread
From TSB...
C-FHXP, a Bradley Airspray 502XP Air Tractor, was conducting an aerial spray application flight
from Lloydminster Airport (CYLL), AB, to a field approximately 5 nautical miles northwest of
Neilburg Aerodrome (CJV2), SK. After completing the main spraying operations on a field, the pilot
decided to conduct trim passes between a power line and the southern road edge of the field. As
the pilot descended into the field and focused on the left-wing tip to avoid colliding with the power
line poles the pilot inadvertently struck a wire running perpendicular to the main power line. The
wire extended southward and was not visible to the pilot. The pilot was able to discharge the
remainder of his load into the field and return to CYLL. There was no emergency declared, and
aircraft landed uneventfully.
After inspection by the operator's maintenance, the right-hand spray boom assembly, left-hand
wheel and tire, and the left-hand wire cutter assembly were replaced.
C-FHXP, a Bradley Airspray 502XP Air Tractor, was conducting an aerial spray application flight
from Lloydminster Airport (CYLL), AB, to a field approximately 5 nautical miles northwest of
Neilburg Aerodrome (CJV2), SK. After completing the main spraying operations on a field, the pilot
decided to conduct trim passes between a power line and the southern road edge of the field. As
the pilot descended into the field and focused on the left-wing tip to avoid colliding with the power
line poles the pilot inadvertently struck a wire running perpendicular to the main power line. The
wire extended southward and was not visible to the pilot. The pilot was able to discharge the
remainder of his load into the field and return to CYLL. There was no emergency declared, and
aircraft landed uneventfully.
After inspection by the operator's maintenance, the right-hand spray boom assembly, left-hand
wheel and tire, and the left-hand wire cutter assembly were replaced.
Re: AgPlane Incident thread
From TSB...
C-GYXG, a Piper PA-25-260, was conducting an aerial application flight from a private airstrip
located approximately 85 nautical miles south-southeast of Regina International Airport (CYQR),
SK. While conducting an application pass of the pilot's field, the aircraft collided with terrain and
came to rest inverted in a nearby field. There was a resulting post-impact fire and the aircraft was
destroyed. The pilot sustained serious injuries and was transported to hospital. The RCMP and
EMS responded to the site.
C-GYXG, a Piper PA-25-260, was conducting an aerial application flight from a private airstrip
located approximately 85 nautical miles south-southeast of Regina International Airport (CYQR),
SK. While conducting an application pass of the pilot's field, the aircraft collided with terrain and
came to rest inverted in a nearby field. There was a resulting post-impact fire and the aircraft was
destroyed. The pilot sustained serious injuries and was transported to hospital. The RCMP and
EMS responded to the site.
Re: AgPlane Incident thread
From TSB...
C-GUTX, a Weatherly 620B aircraft operated by Farr Air Inc., was conducting aerial application of
a field 3 nautical miles north of Redvers, SK.
While flying at a low altitude upon entering the field, the aircraft contacted rising terrain. The aircraft
came to rest in the field in an upright position. The pilot was not injured; the aircraft was
substantially damaged.
C-GUTX, a Weatherly 620B aircraft operated by Farr Air Inc., was conducting aerial application of
a field 3 nautical miles north of Redvers, SK.
While flying at a low altitude upon entering the field, the aircraft contacted rising terrain. The aircraft
came to rest in the field in an upright position. The pilot was not injured; the aircraft was
substantially damaged.
