20010809022709A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Airtrc AT-401 · Grandcoteau, LA · August 9, 2001

Date: August 9, 2001 · 08:45 local
Place: Grandcoteau, LA
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: EBLG
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N10140
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW01LA178
Reported as: Airtrc AT401

N10140Registration cancelled Jun 26, 2002 · Air Tractor AT-401S/N 401-0732 · Built 1989 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-401 Engine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot made one spray pass south to north. On second pass diving in ona north to south path, engine began shaking, spraying oil, backfiring and missing. Pilot pulled up, dumped load over field. Engine continued to lose power and was unable to maintain flight. Pilot circled around to set up approach to an open field, but was not able to make the hard road. Aircraft landed in planted field, main gear was broken off at fuselage. Right wing tip damaged, propeller bent, major damage to lower fuselage and wrinkling of fuselage skin at wing attach.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT MADE ONE SPRAY PASS SOUTH TO NORTH. ON SECOND PASS DIVING IN ONA NORTH TO SOUTH PATH, ENGINE BEGAN SHAKING, SPRAYING OIL, BACKFIRING AND MISSING. PILOT PULLED UP, DUMPED LOAD OVER FIELD. ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT. PILOT CIRCLED AROUND TO SET UP APPROACH TO AN OPEN FIELD, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE THE HARD ROAD. AIRCRAFT LANDED IN PLANTED FIELD, MAIN GEAR WAS BROKEN OFF AT FUSELAGE. RIGHT WING TIP DAMAGED, PROPELLER BENT, MAJOR DAMAGE TO LOWER FUSELAGE AND WRINKLING OF FUSELAGE SKIN AT WING ATTACH.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW01LA178Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGrand Coteau, LAthe loss of engine power while maneuvering, which resulted from a fractured #4 cylinder head at the exhaust valve rocker arm boss. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Aug 9, 2001 · Substantial damage