The two Grumman Ag Cats were conducting agricultural operations at a private airstrip near Gueydan, Louisiana.
The pilot of the landing airplane reported that, while airborne, he noticed the departing airplane was being loaded at the tender truck. He estimated he would have enough time to land and clear the runway before the departing airplane was finished loading.
The pilot of the departing airplane reported that after loading, he positioned his airplane on the runway and began his takeoff roll.
Meanwhile, the pilot of the landing airplane touched down in the opposite direction of the departing airplane.
The pilot of the landing airplane reported that while he was slowing down on the landing roll, he looked over his airplane’s hopper and noticed the departing airplane rolling toward him.
He attempted to veer out of the way of the departing airplane but was unsuccessful. The left wing of the landing airplane hit the left wing of the departing airplane.
The landing airplane sustained substantial damage to both left wings, the fuselage, the horizontal stabilizer, and the elevator.
The departing airplane sustained substantial damage to all four wings and the fuselage.
Neither pilot made any radio calls announcing their intentions.
Probable Cause: The failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other, resulting in a collision on the airstrip. Contributing was the pilots’ failure to announce their intentions over their radios as they were taking off and landing.
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This May 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
I’ve never heard any ag pilot say anything about landing or taking off all the years I have been flying out of a crop dusters strip. I know what it is ????? they are exempt from using the radio, it only applies to crop dusters, must be from smelling all those chemicals, got to be. they are so unsafe its amazing more of them don’t get killed and kill other pilots in the interim.. Stupid people !!!
I’ve flown into several airports that have ag operations. I’ve never heard any of them make radio calls. I just try to be extra careful. That’s really all you can do
Happens when the loading is at one end. Trying to save taxi time. While not ideal works ok if you talk to each other. Otherwise not so good.
hmmm … No radio calls by either pilot. What could possibly go wrong ?
Did either pilot go buy a lottery ticket after ?
I live in an area where AG traffic at uncontrolled fields is common. In the years I’ve operated in this area I can’t remember many instances of AG pilots making radio calls on the CTAF to announced intentions. I’ve seen many of them make short approaches from the downwind (when they actually fly a pattern) to land ahead of me when I’m about to take off or on short final causing a go-around. I don’t know if this is SOP for AG pilots, but it makes airport operations unsafe for everyone (including themselves). And they usually fly very low to the ground and often without ADB-S broadcast making them more difficult to spot.
Pilot injuries, conditions? Really, all we care about in the end is the people involved. Sure hope they’re both ok.
They were OK!
Even private strips have an active runway!