20090115000059A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Airtrc AT-301 · Beaver, UT · January 15, 2009

Date: January 15, 2009 · 08:45 local
Place: Beaver, UT
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: HNXG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3170C
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09LA085
Reported as: Airtrc AT301
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340*
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,000 total1,300 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days

N3170CRegistration cancelled Sep 27, 2010 · Air Tractor AT-301S/N 301-0591 · Built 1984 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-301 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.

While providing 14 CFR part 137 services under contract to the Utah division of wildlife resources (seeding), the aircraft experienced an engine vibration, lost power, and the pilot emergency landed the aircraft in a snow and sage brush covered area. Upon landing, as the aircrafts velocity decreased and weight on wheels increased, the wheels eventually broke through the snow and the aircraft nosed over.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE PROVIDING 14 CFR PART 137 SERVICES UNDER CONTRACT TO THE UTAH DIVISION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES (SEEDING), THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE VIBRATION, LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT EMERGENCY LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A SNOW AND SAGE BRUSH COVERED AREA. UPON LANDING, AS THE AIRCRAFTS VELOCITY DECREASED AND WEIGHT ON WHEELS INCREASED, THE WHEELS EVENTUALLY BROKE THROUGH THE SNOW AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER.

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 WPR09LA085Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBeaver, UTA loss of engine power while maneuvering due to a sheared propeller blade's pitch change link. Contributing to the accident was lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Jan 15, 2009 · Substantial damage