What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 8, 2001 at approximately 1400 hours, N400ZR, an air tractor, AT-400 engine failed and crash-landed while returning to the refuel and re-load ag airstrip. During the last few moments of flight and while the pilot-in-command adjusted the landing track in a rice field, the aircraft right wing tip impacted an irrigation dike causing the aircraft to pivot ninety degrees to the right. The aircraft continued in the original inertia direction, sliding on the left wing coming to rest upon contact with a parallel irrigation dike. Both wings remained intact, the engine and propeller did not make contact with the earth. The fuselage was heavily damaged just aft of the pilot station. An interview with the pilot-in-command revealed the engine might have failed due to fuel starvation. The fuel cells were inspected, no fuel was present and the fuel cells were not severed during the crash sequence. The weather was VFR. A company flight plan was on file.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 8, 2001 AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 HOURS, N400ZR, AN AIR TRACTOR, AT-400 ENGINE FAILED AND CRASH-LANDED WHILE RETURNING TO THE REFUEL AND RE-LOAD AG AIRSTRIP. DURING THE LAST FEW MOMENTS OF FLIGHT AND WHILE THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND ADJUSTED THE LANDING TRACK IN A RICE FIELD, THE AIRCRAFT RIGHT WING TIP IMPACTED AN IRRIGATION DIKE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO PIVOT NINETY DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED IN THE ORIGINAL INERTIA DIRECTION, SLIDING ON THE LEFT WING COMING TO REST UPON CONTACT WITH A PARALLEL IRRIGATION DIKE. BOTH WINGS REMAINED INTACT, THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER DID NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH THE EARTH. THE FUSELAGE WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED JUST AFT OF THE PILOT STATION. AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND REVEALED THE ENGINE MIGHT HAVE FAILED DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE FUEL CELLS WERE INSPECTED, NO FUEL WAS PRESENT AND THE FUEL CELLS WERE NOT SEVERED DURING THE CRASH SEQUENCE. THE WEATHER WAS VFR. A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE.
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 N400ZR · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.