Runway excursion Accident Air Tractor AT-402B N5120E, Saturday 19 June 2010

You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.

Date:	Saturday 19 June 2010
Time:	14:10 LT
Type:	Air Tractor AT-402B
Owner/operator:	C
Registration:	N5120E
MSN:	402B-1052
Year of manufacture:	1998
Total airframe hrs:	3464 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Virden, Illinois - United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:	Virden, IL (25IL)
Destination airport:	Virden, IL (25IL)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot of the aerial application flight was attempting a takeoff when the airplane hit a bump 2/3 of the way down the runway, became airborne, and then descended into a corn field. The airplane impacted the cornfield upright and sideways, resulting in a deformed fuselage and substantial damage. The pilot stated that he could have prevented the accident by not taking off at a heavy weight on a wet runway. The density altitude at the time of the accident was approximately 2,854 feet mean sea level.

Probable Cause: The pilot's decision to take off from a wet grass runway at an airplane weight and density altitude that precluded a normal takeoff and climb.

Accident investigation: