# Accident 19990624007539A: Airtrc AT301, Veblin, SD, June 24, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 24, 1999, 07:30 local time
- Place: Veblin, SD
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: DAKG
- Location: 45.8592° N, 97.2792° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8592&lon=-97.2792&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3159M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3159M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-301 (registry code 0390103, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-301) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Raikhlin RED A03 series (registry code 52560, https://openairdocs.org/engine/raikhlin-red-a03-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT301
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99LA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA193) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990624007539A

## Narrative

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

ACFT CRASHED INTO A FIELD DURING AERIAL APPLICATION, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON JUNE 24, 1999, AT 0730 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIR TRACTOR AT-301, N3159M, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON IMPACT WITH TERRAIN NEAR VEBLIN, SOUTH DAKOTA.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE 14 CFR 137 FLIGHT WAS NOT ON A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM BRITTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, BRITTON, SOUTH DAKOTA AT APPROXIMATELY 0700. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOADED THE AIR TRACTOR WITH 240 GALLONS OF A MIXTURE FOR AERIAL APPLICATION ON LEAFY SPURGE.  HE SAID THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE HALF FULL.  WINDS WERE OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AT 6 TO 10 KNOTS.  HE SAID HE WAS SPRAYING IN SOME LOCAL HILLS.  HE STATED HE COMPLETED THREE PASSES.  ON HIS FOURTH, HE SAID THAT HE WAS CLIMBING ABOVE THE TREE LINE AND ENCOUNTERED "BAD AIR".  HE HAD APPLIED FULL POWER BUT LOST LIFT ONCE OVER THE TREE LINE.  THE AIRPLANE SETTLED AND CONTACTED THE GROUND IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION.  THE ENGINE WAS TORN OFF THE FUSELAGE, ALONG WITH THE LANDING GEAR AND TAIL WHEEL.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FUSELAGE CAME TO RES T ON A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION. (-23)THE PILOT WAS MAKING A SOUTHBOUND SPRAY PASS UP AN EXTREME UPHILL TERRAIN.  THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH AIRSPEED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND, CARTWHEELED AROUND 180 DEGREES AND CAME TO REST.  SITE INVESTIGATION REVEALED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE FORWARD FUSELAGE, RIGHT WING AND LANDING GEAR.  THE CHEMICAL LOAD WAS NOT DUMPED.

## 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 CHI99LA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA193), Jun 24, 1999: Air Tractor AT-301 (N3159M), Veblen, SD, substantial damage. Probable cause: was the pilot not maintaining clearance from terrain. A factor was the pilot not performing a load jettison.

## Other reports on N3159M (1)

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

- [Incident 19920517025169I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920517025169I), May 17, 1992: Airtrc AT301 (N3159M), Bristol, SD. Lost a portion of prop on spray run. Forced landing on road. Indicates failure came from stress riser leading edge.

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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