Mendota Airport, Mendota, CA

Airport History:





Mendota Airport Today:



Airport Services & Amenities:
Special Events:

Airport Area Accident History:
Accident occurred Friday, July 23, 2004 in Mendota, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 6/8/2005
Aircraft: Air Tractor AT-502B, registration: N5010E
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
The airplane collided with high vegetation and terrain during the initial climb from a dirt airstrip on an agricultural application flight. Prior to takeoff, the pilot failed to lower the wing flaps to the 10-degree setting that he had utilized on his previous takeoffs from the airstrip. While on the takeoff roll, the pilot realized that he had not configured the airplane with the flap setting he was accustomed to using, and he attempted to extend the flaps. Despite his attempts, the flaps remained in the retracted position for undetermined reasons. With about 20 feet of runway remaining, the pilot attempted to release the load. However, he tried but failed to deploy the cargo dump handle. The airplane lifted off the runway but was unable to gain enough altitude to clear the nearby 5- to 6-foot-tall corn crop. After impacting the corn, the airplane stalled, impacted the ground, and cartwheeled three times before coming to a stop inverted. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot's inadequate preflight/pretakeoff procedure by not lowering the wing flaps, which resulted in an inadvertent stall as the pilot attempted to climb out of ground effect to clear a corn crop at the end of the runway. A factor in the accident was the failure, for undetermined reasons, of the flaps to deploy during the takeoff roll when the pilot moved the switch.

 Airport Approach / Landing: