What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 28, 1998, at 1845 central daylight time, an air tractor AT-401, N4543F, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed during a collision with the ground while maneuvering during a swath run. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 137 was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed norcross, Minnesota, exact time unknown. The pilot reported a partial power loss after completing an aerial application swath run. He said he ejected the chemicals he was spraying and was maneuvering for a forced landing when the right wing and landing gear collided with the ground. He reported the airplane cartwheeled and rolled over the ground before coming to a stop. (-23) aircraft lost power after one pass on aerial application (north to south) three witness heard engine misfiring, pilot turned to the southeast, dumped his chemical load, attempted various power pitch settings, landed in plowed muddy farm field. Aircraft inverted on impact and power plant separated from air frame.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 28, 1998, AT 1845 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIR TRACTOR AT-401, N4543F, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS DESTROYED DURING A COLLISION WITH THE GROUND WHILE MANEUVERING DURING A SWATH RUN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 137 WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED NORCROSS, MINNESOTA, EXACT TIME UNKNOWN. THE PILOT REPORTED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS AFTER COMPLETING AN AERIAL APPLICATION SWATH RUN. HE SAID HE EJECTED THE CHEMICALS HE WAS SPRAYING AND WAS MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING WHEN THE RIGHT WING AND LANDING GEAR COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. HE REPORTED THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED AND ROLLED OVER THE GROUND BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. (-23) AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AFTER ONE PASS ON AERIAL APPLICATION (NORTH TO SOUTH) THREE WITNESS HEARD ENGINE MISFIRING, PILOT TURNED TO THE SOUTHEAST, DUMPED HIS CHEMICAL LOAD, ATTEMPTED VARIOUS POWER PITCH SETTINGS, LANDED IN PLOWED MUDDY FARM FIELD. AIRCRAFT INVERTED ON IMPACT AND POWER PLANT SEPARATED FROM AIR FRAME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4543F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.