Snow 600B accident near Grundy Center, Iowa, August 13, 1994
On August 13, 1994 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Snow 600B, registered N39762, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grundy Center, Iowa (Grundy Center Municipal airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff and his delay in aborting the takeoff. Factors in the accident were condition of the runway, the road, and the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1994 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grundy Center, Iowa · Grundy Center Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Snow 600B · all 600Bs on the register
- Registration
- N39762 · no longer on the register · serial 600-1365D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL ON THE ENGINE, CONTROL, AND INSTRUMENT CHECKS PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF ON THE TURF RUNWAY. THE CONDITION OF THE RUNWAY WAS SOFT AND DAMP DUE TO SOME RAIN WHICH THE LOCAL AREA HAD RECEIVED THE NIGHT BEFORE. WHILE APPROXIMATELY 30 PERCENT DOWN THE RUNWAY ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT STATED HE FELT AS IF THE AIRPLANE HAD HIT SOMETHING. CONTINUING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT STATED HE REALIZED SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STOP BUT THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, CROSSED AN ADJACENT ROAD, AND CAME TO REST IN A DTICH. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ABNORMALITIES WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT. A POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION PREFORMED ON THE ENGINE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,752 hours in all; 324 in this make and model; 285 in the last 90 days; 95 in the last 30 days; 1,467 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,946 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6K7 at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 6K7 IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,550 ft by 160 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.