Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to take off with a tailwind, resulting in a runway overrun.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The commercial pilot loaded 2,800 pounds of applicant on the airplane and then departed downwind from the private grass strip on an aerial application flight. The pilot reported that the wind was approximately 10 knots of tailwind and the temperature was 89 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot was unable to get the airplane airborne before departing the end of the runway. The airplane collided with a rice levee, bounced into the air, stalled, before impacting the ground. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. No preimpact anomalies were detected in the airframe or the engine.
Source record
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot loaded 2,800 pounds of applicant on the airplane and then departed downwind from the private grass strip on an aerial application flight. The pilot reported that the wind was approximately 10 knots of tailwind and the temperature was 89 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot was unable to get the airplane airborne before departing the end of the runway. The airplane collided with a rice levee, bounced into the air, stalled, before impacting the ground. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. No preimpact anomalies were detected in the airframe or the engine.