# Accident 19960830025219A: Airtrc AT401, Plains, TX, August 30, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 30, 1996, 20:56 local time
- Place: Plains, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 33.1905° N, 102.8196° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1905&lon=-102.8196&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1558N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1558N-1998-08-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-401 (registry code 0390204, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-401) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT401
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW96LA370](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA370) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960830025219A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE PILOT INDICATED HE WAS SPRAYING A FIELD, MAKING PASSES EAST AND WEST. ON THE LAST WESTBOUND PASS, DURING THE TURN AROUND TO THE RIGHT, HE APPLIED 1 NOTCH OF FLAPS, AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN ROLLING "VIOLENTLY" TO THE RIGHT AND FULL LEFT AILERON WOULD NOT CORRECT IT. HE APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER AND THE AIRPLANE STOPPED ROLLING RIGHT. WHEN HE NOTICED THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING TO HIT THE GROUND, HE CAME FULL AFT ON THE STICK AND FELT IT STALL JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. HE SAID HE DID NOT THINK ABOUT ADDING POWER (FROM 31.0"MP) OR DUMPING THE LOAD.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW96LA370](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA370), Aug 30, 1996: Air Tractor AT-401 (N1558N), Plains, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane, while maneuvering after a swath run, which subsequently resulted in a collision with the terrain. A factor relating to the accident was: the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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