20040408004589A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Ayres S2RT34NORMAL · Friona, TX · April 8, 2004

Date: April 8, 2004 · 17:30 local
Place: Friona, TX
Airport: Benger Air Park
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: BSPG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2320T
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW04CA107
Reported as: Ayres S2RT34NORMAL
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A45
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 15,798 total2,150 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days

N2320TRegistered now · Ayres S2R-T34S/N T34-260 · Built 1999 Airframe modelAyres S2R-T34 Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45Turbo-prop

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) The pilot was returning to his home base at Benger Air Park because of an approaching thunderstorm. There was a direct crosswind at 17 to 18 knots with heavy rain. While attempting to land runway 22, he drifted to the left of centerline, applied prop reversing and the rain and water blew up around him reducing visibility. He drifted further off the centerline and his wheel struck a soft spot in the runway edge, causing the airplane to veer off the runway and strike some construction/farm equipment parked 40 feet from the edge of the runway. The aircraft received substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot was not injured. The airport is privately owned but is open for use by the public. The owner has been advised to relocate his equipment more than 40 feet from the edge of the runway.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOME BASE AT BENGER AIR PARK BECAUSE OF AN APPROACHING THUNDERSTORM. THERE WAS A DIRECT CROSSWIND AT 17 TO 18 KNOTS WITH HEAVY RAIN. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND RUNWAY 22, HE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE, APPLIED PROP REVERSING AND THE RAIN AND WATER BLEW UP AROUND HIM REDUCING VISIBILITY. HE DRIFTED FURTHER OFF THE CENTERLINE AND HIS WHEEL STRUCK A SOFT SPOT IN THE RUNWAY EDGE, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO VEER OFF THE RUNWAY AND STRIKE SOME CONSTRUCTION/FARM EQUIPMENT PARKED 40 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING SPAR. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPORT IS PRIVATELY OWNED BUT IS OPEN FOR USE BY THE PUBLIC. THE OWNER HAS BEEN ADVISED TO RELOCATE HIS EQUIPMENT MORE THAN 40 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY.

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 FTW04CA107Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportFriona, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll. Contributing factors were prevailing crosswind, rain, and the restricted vision from water on the windscreen, and a vehicle parked near the runway.Apr 8, 2004 · Substantial damage