# Accident 19980731019399A: Airtrc AT301, Mentha, MI, July 31, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 31, 1998, 13:30 local time
- Place: Mentha, MI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: RCDG
- Location: 42.4002° N, 86.2708° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4002&lon=-86.2708&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3659T, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3659T) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-301 (registry code 0390103, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-301) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series (registry code 52016, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT301
- Reported engine: PWA R1340AN1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,417 total, 300 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA290) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980731019399A

## Narrative

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

VEERED OFF ROAD INTO DITCH AND CORNFIELD LANDING. BENT WINGS AND GEAR. (.4)THE PILOT OF AN AERIAL APPLICATOR AIRPLANE LANDED HIS AIRPLANE ON A ROAD THAT HAD AN UNEVEN SURFACE AND WAS COVERED WITH LOSE GRAVEL.  THE ROAD HAD MATURE CORN GROWING ALONG ITS EDGES.  THE PILOT SAID HIS LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE CORN AS THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN.  FURROWS IN THE GRAVEL SHOWED THE AIRPLANE HAD TURNED ABOUT 45-DEGREES TO THE LEFT SHORTLY AFTER TOUCH DOWN.  THE FURROWS CONTINUED INTO AND THROUGH A DITCH AND INTO THE CORN WHERE THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP.                                               (-23) THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE LANDING ON THE GRAVEL ROAD, THUS VEERING OFF THE ROAD INTO THE CORNFIELD, DAMAGING THE RIGHT WING SPAR AND LANDING GEAR.

## 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 CHI98LA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA290), Jul 31, 1998: Air Tractor AT-301 (N3659T), Mentha, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper inflight decision to land the airplane on the gravel covered road with an uneven surface that had corn growing next to its edge. A factor in this accident was the pilot selecting…

## Other reports on N3659T (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20030620010889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030620010889A), Jun 20, 2003: Airtrc AT301 (N3659T), South Haven, MI, Substantial damage. (-23) On 06/20/03, the subject aircraft took off from the home base (South Haven) airport at approximately 8:50 am to do aerial spraying in hager township.…

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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