# Accident 19980403005879A: Airtrc AT401, Highmore, SD, April 3, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 3, 1998, 09:10 local time
- Place: Highmore, SD
- Airport: Highmore Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: KA9G
- Location: 44.5198° N, 99.4293° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.5198&lon=-99.4293&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1008T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1008T-2012-04-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-401 (registry code 0390204, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-401) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series (registry code 52016, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT401
- Reported engine: PWA R1340*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 12,500 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA118) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980403005879A

## Narrative

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

EMTLED DURING CLIMBOUT FROM GRASS STRIP. WENT THRU A DITCH. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL HE NOTICED THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT ACCELERATING NORMALLY.  HE REPORTED THAT HE CHECKED THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND RPM'S, AND THAT THE RPM'S WERE LOW.  HE CHECKED THE PROPELLER CONTROL AT FULL FORWARD.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE VEERED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A HIGHWAY AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY.  THE AIRPLANE WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND INTO A PASTURE, BREAKING THE LEFT LANDING GEAR AS IT SLID TO A STOP.  THE AIRPLANE WAS INSPECTED.  THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RUN TO APPROXIMATELY 1,800 RPM AND THE OPERATION APPEARED NORMAL.  A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL CELL.                                        (-23) ON APRIL 3, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 09:10 CDT AN AIR TRACTOR AT-401-401, N1008T, OPERATED BY KROEPLIN AG SERVICE (KA9G), CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF WITH 2500 POUNDS OF DRY FERTILIZER AND 126 GALLONS OF FUEL AT THE HIGHMORE, SD, AIRPORT (9D0).  RUNWAY CONDITIONS: 2800 FEET WET/SOFT GRASS STRIP.  COMMERCIAL PILOT GREGORY LLOYD KRECH WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND RECEIVED NO INJURIES.  THE PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO ABORT THE TAKE OFF OR TO              EMERGENCY DUMP THE LOAD. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING COMMERCIAL AG OPERATIONS UNDER CFR PART 137 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED APRIL 3, 1998, AT HIGHMORE, SD, AT 09:10 CDT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NOFLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.

## 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 CHI98LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA118), Apr 3, 1998: Air Tractor AT-401 (N1008T), Highmore, SD, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot failed to abort the takeoff in a timely manner and could not stop on the runway.

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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