19950712018419A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Airtrc AT-301 · Grygla, MN · July 12, 1995

Date: July 12, 1995 · 20:00 local
Place: Grygla, MN
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: KHFG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8673S
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI95LA219
Reported as: Airtrc AT301
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,700 total5,700 in this make and model125 in the last 90 days

N8673SRegistration cancelled Aug 14, 2006 · Air Tractor AT-301S/N 301-0171 · Built 1979 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-301 Engine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Settled into ground impact clearing trees to begin spray run. High temperature light wind. Failed check settling. (-23) aircraft was descending over trees to flare position to begin swath path on field. Pilot reported entering "dead" air. Aircraft settled in field. Temp 90 degrees, wind 5 mph. Pilot did not know airspeed or engine RPM. He operates by feel.

As the FAA filed it

SETTLED INTO GROUND IMPACT CLEARING TREES TO BEGIN SPRAY RUN. HIGH TEMPERATURE LIGHT WIND. FAILED CHECK SETTLING. (-23) AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING OVER TREES TO FLARE POSITION TO BEGIN SWATH PATH ON FIELD. PILOT REPORTED ENTERING "DEAD" AIR. AIRCRAFT SETTLED IN FIELD. TEMP 90 DEGREES, WIND 5 MPH. PILOT DID NOT KNOW AIRSPEED OR ENGINE RPM. HE OPERATES BY FEEL.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI95LA219Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGrygla, MNThe pilot's failure to maintain altitude and/or clearance at the beginning of the spray run. A factor was turbulence due to the different Air temperatures of adjoining terrain.Jul 12, 1995 · Substantial damage