20030810018639A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Wthrly 620A · Doland, SD · August 10, 2003

Date: August 10, 2003 · 14:15 local
Place: Doland, SD
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4656M
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI03LA254
Reported as: Wthrly 620A
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R985*
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,050 total1,000 in this make and model300 in the last 90 days

N4656MRegistered now · Weatherly 620AS/N 1540 · Built 1992 Airframe modelWeatherly 620A Engine modelPratt & Whitney R-985 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) Mr. Hofer was doing an aerial application job one mile nw of the town of Doland, SD. He hit some power lines with his aircraft causing damage to the power lines. This wire strike also caused damage to the aircraft brake lines. After the pilot hit the wires, he returned to his home base private landing strip located approximately six and one half miles south of Doland, SD. The pilot stated that after he landed, he did not have any brakes. The aircraft went off the end of his runway and ran into a row of trees causing substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot was the sole occupant and was not injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) MR. HOFER WAS DOING AN AERIAL APPLICATION JOB ONE MILE NW OF THE TOWN OF DOLAND, SD. HE HIT SOME POWER LINES WITH HIS AIRCRAFT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE POWER LINES. THIS WIRE STRIKE ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT BRAKE LINES. AFTER THE PILOT HIT THE WIRES, HE RETURNED TO HIS HOME BASE PRIVATE LANDING STRIP LOCATED APPROXIMATELY SIX AND ONE HALF MILES SOUTH OF DOLAND, SD. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER HE LANDED, HE DID NOT HAVE ANY BRAKES. THE AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE END OF HIS RUNWAY AND RAN INTO A ROW OF TREES CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND WAS NOT INJURED.

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 CHI03LA254Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDoland, SDThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the wires and directional control not being possible due to the failure of the brake system. Factors contributing to the accident were the wires, the trees, and the failure of the brake system.Aug 10, 2003 · Substantial damage